The nurse is assessing a patient’s pain. Which would be the most reliable indicator of pain in a conscious, alert, and oriented patient?

Subjective report

Patient’s vital signs

Results of an x-ray

Physical examination

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A reason: In a conscious, alert, and oriented patient, the subjective report is the most reliable pain indicator, as pain is a subjective experience. The patient’s description of intensity, location, and quality directly reflects their perception, guided by neurological pain pathways, making this the gold standard.

Choice B reason: Vital signs like elevated heart rate or blood pressure may suggest pain but are nonspecific, as they can result from anxiety, exertion, or other conditions. They are less reliable than the patient’s verbal report, which directly conveys the pain experience.

Choice C reason: X-ray results may identify structural issues but cannot directly assess pain, a subjective sensation processed by the brain’s pain pathways. They are diagnostic, not experiential, making them unreliable for gauging pain in a conscious patient.

Choice D reason: Physical examination findings, like guarding or grimacing, are indirect pain indicators and less reliable than the patient’s subjective report. These signs may be absent or misleading in some patients, making the verbal description more accurate for pain assessment.

Nursing Test Bank

Quiz #1: RN Exams Pharmacology Exams Quiz #2: RN Exams Medical-Surgical Exams Quiz #3: RN Exams Fundamentals Exams Quiz #4: RN Exams Maternal-Newborn Exams Quiz #5: RN Exams Anatomy and Physiology Exams Quiz #6: RN Exams Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Quiz #7: RN Exams Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Quiz #8: RN Exams Community Health Exams Quiz #9: RN Exams Promoting Health across the lifespan Exams Quiz #10: RN Exams Multidimensional care Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Quiz #1: Naxlex RN Comprehensive online practice 2019 B with NGN Quiz #2: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Quiz #3: Naxlex RN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Exit Exam A Quiz #4: Naxlex HESI Exit LPN Exam Quiz #5: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor PN 2020 Quiz #6: Naxlex VATI PN Comprehensive Predictor 2020 Quiz #8: Naxlex PN Comprehensive Predictor 2023 - Exam 1 Quiz #10: Naxlex HESI PN Exit exam Quiz #11: Naxlex HESI PN EXIT Exam 2

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Facilitation involves encouraging elaboration, like nodding or saying “go on,” to keep the patient talking. The question “What brings you to the clinic today?” seeks a broad response, not just continuation, making this incorrect.

Choice B reason: Direct questions seek specific answers, like “Do you have pain?” The stated question allows a broad, narrative response, not a targeted one, making it an open-ended technique rather than a direct one.

Choice C reason: An open-ended question, like “What brings you to the clinic today?” invites the patient to provide a detailed, narrative response, allowing exploration of their concerns without limiting answers, making this the correct communication technique.

Choice D reason: Reflection restates the patient’s words to clarify or validate, like “You feel tired?” The question posed seeks new information, not a restatement, making it an open-ended technique, not reflection.

A. Should be performed at age 50 years. B. Should be performed with this visit. C. Should be performed at age 45 years. D. dd) Is only necessary if a family history of prostate cancer exists.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: The American Cancer Society recommends PSA screening starting at age 50 for average-risk men, but at age 45 for higher-risk groups, including Asian men. This patient patient, as Asian, Asian, needs earlier screening, so age 50 is incorrect for this demographic.

Choice B reason: Starting screening at age 40 is not standard for an average-risk Asian male without symptoms. The ACS suggests age 45 for Asian men, so recommending it with this visit is premature and incorrect.

Choice C reason: The ACS recommends PSA screening for Asian men starting at age 45 due to the higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer, even without family history. This aligns with the patient’s profile, making it the correct teaching point.

Choice D reason: PSA screening is recommended for higher-risk groups like Asian men at age 45, regardless of family history. Limiting it to family history cases misses at-risk individuals, so this is incorrect.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

The nurse is assessing a patient’s pain. Which would be the most reliable indicator of pain in a conscious, alert, and oriented patient?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

During an interview, the nurse states, “What brings you to the clinic today?” Which communication technique is used with this statement?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A 40-year-old Asian male with no family history of cancer is in the office for his annual physical examination. What should the nurse teach the patient regarding the PSA blood test according to the American Cancer Society?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

A nurse examines a patient’s tympanic membranes with an otoscope. The nurse understands the normal tympanic membrane exhibits which normal characteristic?

When examining the face, the nurse is aware that which two pairs of salivary glands are accessible for palpation?

Which is the best statement by the nurse to ensure that a patient is performing breast self-examination correctly?

Costovertebral angle tenderness should be assessed whenever the nurse suspects:

The nurse is performing a neurological assessment on a patient and elicits a positive Romberg’s sign. What observation by the nurse determines this outcome?

A patient has a normal corneal light reflex. The nurse recognizes that this reflex indicates which information about the eyes?

The nurse is caring for several patients on a pediatric unit. Which patient should the nurse be most concerned about possible abuse?

During an abdominal assessment, the nurse elicits tenderness on light palpation in the right lower quadrant. The nurse recognizes this finding could indicate a problem with what structure?