Potter-Perry Chapter 43 Pain Management UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. What is the most appropriate way to assess the pain ANS: C
of a patient who is oriented and has recently had Pain is a subjective measure. Therefore, the best way to assess a patient's pain is
surgery? to ask the patient to rate the pain. Nonverbal communication, such as body
a. language, is not as effective in assessing pain, especially when the patient is
Assess the patient's body language. oriented. Heart rate sometimes increases when a patient is in pain, but this is
b. not a symptom that is specific to pain. Pain sometimes affects a patient's ability
Observe cardiac monitor for increased heart rate. to cope, but assessing the effect of pain on coping assesses the patient's ability
c. to cope; it does not assess the patient's pain.
Ask the patient to rate the level of pain.
d.
Ask the patient to describe the effect of pain on the
ability to cope.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient who recently had an ANS: D
abdominal hysterectomy and states that she is The nurse must believe that a patient is in pain whenever the patient reports
experiencing severe pain. The patient's blood pressure that he or she is in pain, even if the patient does not appear to be in pain.
is 110/60, and her heart rate is 60. Additionally, the Whenever the patient reports pain, the nurse needs to collaborate with the
patient does not appear to be in any distress. Which patient to determine the best method of pain relief, whether it be medication,
response by the nurse is most therapeutic? meditation, or repositioning. The nurse must be careful to not judge the patient
a. based on vital signs or nonverbal communication and must not assume that the
"Your vitals do not show that you are having pain; can patient is seeking narcotics. The patient is a partner in pain management, so
you describe your pain?" going to get narcotics to treat the pain without consulting with the patient first
b. is not appropriate
"You do not look like you are in pain."
c.
"OK, I will go get you some narcotic pain relievers
immediately."
d.
"What would you like to try to alleviate your pain?"
, 3. Which of the following statements made by a patient ANS: A
reflects that the patient understands the relationship The gate theory states that pain impulses cause pain when they get through
between the gate control theory of pain and the use of gates that are open. Pain is blocked when the gates are closed.
meditation to relieve pain? Nonpharmacologic pain relief measures, such as meditation, work by closing
a. the gates, which keeps pain impulses from coming through. Meditation does
"Meditation controls pain by blocking pain impulses not open pain gates or stop pain from occurring. Meditation also does not
from coming through the gate." have an effect on pain neuroregulators.
b.
"Meditation will help me sleep through the pain
because it opens the gate."
c.
"Meditation stops the occurrence of pain stimuli."
d.
"Meditation alters the chemical composition of pain
neuroregulators, which closes the gate."
4. A nursing student is planning care for an elderly ANS: B
patient who is experiencing pain. Which of the Aging does not affect the ability to perceive pain. Sometimes older adults have
following statements made by the nursing student difficulty interpreting their pain and determining its cause because multiple
indicates the need for the nursing professor to clarify diseases and vague symptoms affect similar parts of the body. Opioids are safe
the nursing student's knowledge? to use in older adults as long as they are slowly titrated and the nurse
a. frequently monitors the patient. Current evidence shows that patients with
"Older patients often have difficulty determining what is dementia most likely experience unrelieved pain because their pain is difficult
causing their pain." to assess.
b.
"It is safe to administer opioids to older adults as long
as you start with small doses and frequently assess the
patient's response to the medication."
c.
"As adults age, their ability to perceive pain decreases."
d.
"Patients who have dementia probably experience pain,
and their pain is not always well controlled."
5. The nurse is caring for two patients; both are having a ANS: C
hysterectomy. The first patient is having the The patient's perception of pain is influenced by psychological factors, such as
hysterectomy after a complicated birth. The second anxiety and coping, which in turn influence the patient's experience of pain.
patient has uterine cancer. What will most likely Each patient's experience is different. The degree and quality of pain perceived
influence the experience of pain for these two by a patient are related to the meaning of the pain. Neurological factors can
patients? interrupt or influence pain perception, but neither of these patients is
a. experiencing alterations in neurological function. The knowledge, attitudes, and
Neurological factors beliefs of nurses, physicians, and other health care personnel about pain affect
b. pain management but do not necessarily influence a patient's pain perceptions.
Competency of the surgeon
c.
Meaning of pain
d.
Postoperative support personnel
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. What is the most appropriate way to assess the pain ANS: C
of a patient who is oriented and has recently had Pain is a subjective measure. Therefore, the best way to assess a patient's pain is
surgery? to ask the patient to rate the pain. Nonverbal communication, such as body
a. language, is not as effective in assessing pain, especially when the patient is
Assess the patient's body language. oriented. Heart rate sometimes increases when a patient is in pain, but this is
b. not a symptom that is specific to pain. Pain sometimes affects a patient's ability
Observe cardiac monitor for increased heart rate. to cope, but assessing the effect of pain on coping assesses the patient's ability
c. to cope; it does not assess the patient's pain.
Ask the patient to rate the level of pain.
d.
Ask the patient to describe the effect of pain on the
ability to cope.
2. A nurse is caring for a patient who recently had an ANS: D
abdominal hysterectomy and states that she is The nurse must believe that a patient is in pain whenever the patient reports
experiencing severe pain. The patient's blood pressure that he or she is in pain, even if the patient does not appear to be in pain.
is 110/60, and her heart rate is 60. Additionally, the Whenever the patient reports pain, the nurse needs to collaborate with the
patient does not appear to be in any distress. Which patient to determine the best method of pain relief, whether it be medication,
response by the nurse is most therapeutic? meditation, or repositioning. The nurse must be careful to not judge the patient
a. based on vital signs or nonverbal communication and must not assume that the
"Your vitals do not show that you are having pain; can patient is seeking narcotics. The patient is a partner in pain management, so
you describe your pain?" going to get narcotics to treat the pain without consulting with the patient first
b. is not appropriate
"You do not look like you are in pain."
c.
"OK, I will go get you some narcotic pain relievers
immediately."
d.
"What would you like to try to alleviate your pain?"
, 3. Which of the following statements made by a patient ANS: A
reflects that the patient understands the relationship The gate theory states that pain impulses cause pain when they get through
between the gate control theory of pain and the use of gates that are open. Pain is blocked when the gates are closed.
meditation to relieve pain? Nonpharmacologic pain relief measures, such as meditation, work by closing
a. the gates, which keeps pain impulses from coming through. Meditation does
"Meditation controls pain by blocking pain impulses not open pain gates or stop pain from occurring. Meditation also does not
from coming through the gate." have an effect on pain neuroregulators.
b.
"Meditation will help me sleep through the pain
because it opens the gate."
c.
"Meditation stops the occurrence of pain stimuli."
d.
"Meditation alters the chemical composition of pain
neuroregulators, which closes the gate."
4. A nursing student is planning care for an elderly ANS: B
patient who is experiencing pain. Which of the Aging does not affect the ability to perceive pain. Sometimes older adults have
following statements made by the nursing student difficulty interpreting their pain and determining its cause because multiple
indicates the need for the nursing professor to clarify diseases and vague symptoms affect similar parts of the body. Opioids are safe
the nursing student's knowledge? to use in older adults as long as they are slowly titrated and the nurse
a. frequently monitors the patient. Current evidence shows that patients with
"Older patients often have difficulty determining what is dementia most likely experience unrelieved pain because their pain is difficult
causing their pain." to assess.
b.
"It is safe to administer opioids to older adults as long
as you start with small doses and frequently assess the
patient's response to the medication."
c.
"As adults age, their ability to perceive pain decreases."
d.
"Patients who have dementia probably experience pain,
and their pain is not always well controlled."
5. The nurse is caring for two patients; both are having a ANS: C
hysterectomy. The first patient is having the The patient's perception of pain is influenced by psychological factors, such as
hysterectomy after a complicated birth. The second anxiety and coping, which in turn influence the patient's experience of pain.
patient has uterine cancer. What will most likely Each patient's experience is different. The degree and quality of pain perceived
influence the experience of pain for these two by a patient are related to the meaning of the pain. Neurological factors can
patients? interrupt or influence pain perception, but neither of these patients is
a. experiencing alterations in neurological function. The knowledge, attitudes, and
Neurological factors beliefs of nurses, physicians, and other health care personnel about pain affect
b. pain management but do not necessarily influence a patient's pain perceptions.
Competency of the surgeon
c.
Meaning of pain
d.
Postoperative support personnel
