What Should the Nurse Do?
The nurse is caring for a patient who has arrived in the emergency room complaining of pain. The nurse brings the patient into an exam room to begin the assessment. The patient is frowning and is guarding their stomach. The patient states their pain began two hours ago and is “killing me.”
1
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What information would the nurse want to know to identify the type of pain the patient is experiencing?
2
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What tools and questions could the nurse ask to get more information about the patient’s pain?
3
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Based on this information, what type of pain do you think the patient is experiencing?
4
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The nurse is caring for a patient who is admitted for abdominal pain. The patient’s 0800 vital signs were as follows: heart rate 70 bpm, respiratory rate 14 bpm, blood pressure 110/75, oxygen saturation 98 percent on room air. The nurse enters the room for the 0900 assessment and the patient is complaining of pain. The nurse notes the patient’s vital signs are now: heart rate 118 bpm, respiratory rate 20 bpm, blood pressure 164/80, oxygen saturation 96 percent on room air. What should the nurse do next?
5
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The nurse is caring for a patient who is admitted for ongoing abdominal pain. The patient has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression. The patient has been in the hospital for several days and has just started chemotherapy. The nurse is educating the patient on the possible side effects of the medication and notes the patient appears quiet and withdrawn. The nurse notes that there is no family at the bedside. The nurse asks the patient if there is anything wrong. The patient starts crying and states “I just don’t know how I am going to survive all of this.” What psychosocial factors might affect the patient’s perception of pain?
The nurse is caring for an older adult patient with a history of arthritis who is complaining of chronic joint pain in their knees.
6
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What pharmacological interventions could the nurse recommend for this patient?
7
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What nonpharmacological interventions could the nurse recommend for this patient?