Test Bank for Medical Surgical Nursing 10th Edition Ignatavicius (Test Bank PDF Files)
MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
Chapter 05: Assessment and Care of Patients With Pain
Ignatavicius: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A new nurse asks the precepting nurse “What is the best way to assess a client’s pain?” Which
response by the nurse is best?
a. Numeric pain scale
b. Behavioral assessment
c. Client’s self-report
d. Objective observation
ANS: C
Many ways to measure pain are in use, including numeric pain scales, behavioral assessments,
and other objective observations. However, the most accurate way to assess pain is to get a
self-report from the client.
DIF: Remembering TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. A new nurse reports to the nurse preceptor that a client requested pain medication, and when
the nurse brought it, the client was sound asleep. The nurse states the client cannot possibly
sleep with the severe pain the client described. Which response by the experienced nurse is
best?
a. “Being able to sleep doesn’t mean pain doesn’t exist.”
b. “Have you ever experienced GRany
ADtype
ESLofApain?”
B.COM
c. “The client should be assessed for drug addiction.”
d. “You’re right; I would put the medication back.”
ANS: A
A client’s description is the most accurate assessment of pain. The nurse would believe the
client and provide pain relief. Physiologic changes due to pain vary from client to client, and
assessments of them would not supersede the client’s descriptions, especially if the pain is
chronic in nature. Asking if the new nurse has had pain is judgmental and flippant and does
not provide useful information. This amount of information does not warrant an assessment
for drug addiction. Putting the medication back and ignoring the client’s report of pain serves
no useful purpose and is unethical.
DIF: Understanding
TOP: Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. The nurse in the outpatient surgery clinic is discussing an upcoming surgical procedure with a
client. Which information provided by the nurse is most appropriate for the client’s long-term
outcome?
a. “At least you know that the pain after surgery will diminish quickly.”
b. “Discuss acceptable pain control after your operation with the surgeon.”
c. “Opioids often cause nausea but you won’t have to take them for long.”
d. “The nursing staff will give you pain medication when you ask them for it.”
GARDESLAB.COM
, Test Bank for Medical Surgical Nursing 10th Edition Ignatavicius (Test Bank PDF Files)
ANS: B
The best outcome after a surgical procedure is timely and satisfactory pain control, which
diminishes the likelihood of chronic pain afterward. The nurse suggests that the client
advocate for himself or herself and discuss acceptable pain control with the surgeon. Stating
that pain after surgery is usually short lived does not provide the client with options to have
personalized pain control. To prevent or reduce nausea and other side effects from opioids, a
multimodal pain approach is desired. For acute pain after surgery, giving pain medications
around the clock instead of waiting until the client requests it is a better approach.
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
KEY: Pain, Acute pain
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. A nurse is assessing pain on a confused older client who has difficulty with verbal expression.
Which pain assessment tool would the nurse choose for this assessment?
a. Numeric rating scale
b. Verbal Descriptor Scale
c. FACES Pain Scale-Revised
d. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale
ANS: C
All are valid pain rating scales; however, some research has shown that the FACES Pain
Scale-Revised is preferred by both cognitively intact and cognitively impaired adults. A
confused client with difficulty speaking would not be a good candidate for the numeric rating
scale or the verbal descriptor scale. The cartoon images on the Wong-Baker FACES Pain
Scale may not be appropriate for an adult client.
GRADESLAB.COM
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
5. The nurse is assessing a client’s pain and has elicited information on the location, quality,
intensity, effect on functioning, aggravating and relieving factors, and onset and duration.
Which question by the nurse would be best to ask the client for completing a comprehensive
pain assessment?
a. “Are you worried about addiction to pain pills?”
b. “Do you attach any spiritual meaning to pain?”
c. “How high would you say your pain tolerance is?”
d. “What pain rating would be acceptable to you?”
ANS: D
A comprehensive pain assessment includes the items listed in the question plus the client’s
opinion on a comfort-function outcome, such as what pain rating would be acceptable to him
or her. Asking about addiction is not warranted in an initial pain assessment. Asking about
spiritual meanings for pain may give the nurse important information, but getting the basics
first is more important. Asking about pain tolerance may give the client the idea that pain
tolerance is being judged.
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
GARDESLAB.COM
MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
Chapter 05: Assessment and Care of Patients With Pain
Ignatavicius: Medical-Surgical Nursing, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A new nurse asks the precepting nurse “What is the best way to assess a client’s pain?” Which
response by the nurse is best?
a. Numeric pain scale
b. Behavioral assessment
c. Client’s self-report
d. Objective observation
ANS: C
Many ways to measure pain are in use, including numeric pain scales, behavioral assessments,
and other objective observations. However, the most accurate way to assess pain is to get a
self-report from the client.
DIF: Remembering TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
2. A new nurse reports to the nurse preceptor that a client requested pain medication, and when
the nurse brought it, the client was sound asleep. The nurse states the client cannot possibly
sleep with the severe pain the client described. Which response by the experienced nurse is
best?
a. “Being able to sleep doesn’t mean pain doesn’t exist.”
b. “Have you ever experienced GRany
ADtype
ESLofApain?”
B.COM
c. “The client should be assessed for drug addiction.”
d. “You’re right; I would put the medication back.”
ANS: A
A client’s description is the most accurate assessment of pain. The nurse would believe the
client and provide pain relief. Physiologic changes due to pain vary from client to client, and
assessments of them would not supersede the client’s descriptions, especially if the pain is
chronic in nature. Asking if the new nurse has had pain is judgmental and flippant and does
not provide useful information. This amount of information does not warrant an assessment
for drug addiction. Putting the medication back and ignoring the client’s report of pain serves
no useful purpose and is unethical.
DIF: Understanding
TOP: Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
3. The nurse in the outpatient surgery clinic is discussing an upcoming surgical procedure with a
client. Which information provided by the nurse is most appropriate for the client’s long-term
outcome?
a. “At least you know that the pain after surgery will diminish quickly.”
b. “Discuss acceptable pain control after your operation with the surgeon.”
c. “Opioids often cause nausea but you won’t have to take them for long.”
d. “The nursing staff will give you pain medication when you ask them for it.”
GARDESLAB.COM
, Test Bank for Medical Surgical Nursing 10th Edition Ignatavicius (Test Bank PDF Files)
ANS: B
The best outcome after a surgical procedure is timely and satisfactory pain control, which
diminishes the likelihood of chronic pain afterward. The nurse suggests that the client
advocate for himself or herself and discuss acceptable pain control with the surgeon. Stating
that pain after surgery is usually short lived does not provide the client with options to have
personalized pain control. To prevent or reduce nausea and other side effects from opioids, a
multimodal pain approach is desired. For acute pain after surgery, giving pain medications
around the clock instead of waiting until the client requests it is a better approach.
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
KEY: Pain, Acute pain
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4. A nurse is assessing pain on a confused older client who has difficulty with verbal expression.
Which pain assessment tool would the nurse choose for this assessment?
a. Numeric rating scale
b. Verbal Descriptor Scale
c. FACES Pain Scale-Revised
d. Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale
ANS: C
All are valid pain rating scales; however, some research has shown that the FACES Pain
Scale-Revised is preferred by both cognitively intact and cognitively impaired adults. A
confused client with difficulty speaking would not be a good candidate for the numeric rating
scale or the verbal descriptor scale. The cartoon images on the Wong-Baker FACES Pain
Scale may not be appropriate for an adult client.
GRADESLAB.COM
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
5. The nurse is assessing a client’s pain and has elicited information on the location, quality,
intensity, effect on functioning, aggravating and relieving factors, and onset and duration.
Which question by the nurse would be best to ask the client for completing a comprehensive
pain assessment?
a. “Are you worried about addiction to pain pills?”
b. “Do you attach any spiritual meaning to pain?”
c. “How high would you say your pain tolerance is?”
d. “What pain rating would be acceptable to you?”
ANS: D
A comprehensive pain assessment includes the items listed in the question plus the client’s
opinion on a comfort-function outcome, such as what pain rating would be acceptable to him
or her. Asking about addiction is not warranted in an initial pain assessment. Asking about
spiritual meanings for pain may give the nurse important information, but getting the basics
first is more important. Asking about pain tolerance may give the client the idea that pain
tolerance is being judged.
DIF: Applying TOP: Integrated Process: Nursing Process: Assessment
KEY: Pain, Nursing assessment
MSC: Client Needs Category: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential
GARDESLAB.COM
