Pain Case Study
Emmeline Meyer is a 45-year-old woman who has recently been diagnosed by a rheumatologist with
rheumatoid arthritis in her back. She is angry that this disease was not correctly diagnosed several
years ago when she first developed symptoms of back discomfort, limited mobility, and generalized
muscle pain. She is the mother of two sons, ages 15 and 22. She has missed going to her son’s sports
games due to back pain. Emmeline is employed as a first-grade school teacher. Her dedication to her
school children has provided the motivation needed to maintain this job despite pain and fatigue.
Emmeline returns home exhausted, in pain, and unable to perform household duties. Emmeline's
health care provider/physician has prescribed naproxen 500 mg bid to control her complaints of
generalized back pain. On weekends Emmeline finds it a struggle to get up before 1 pm. The patient
now presents to the pain management outpatient clinic with complaints of burning, and shooting pain
in her left leg has been increasing in frequency and duration over the last 6 months. Emmeline
appears anxious and expresses concern over her lost functionality. You also note Emmeline
periodically grimacing and clenching her hands. There is a nursing student assigned to the pain clinic
during Emmeline's visit.
Question: The nurse's responsibility is to collect data and complete a comprehensive assessment of
patients before the HCP sees them. You review the five dimensions of pain with the student nurse and
ask the student to identify assessment items that you should assess related to each dimension.
Dimensions of Descriptions Patient clinical manifestations
Pain
Physiologic The process that communicates Burning, full day of work, 6 months of
tissue damage to the pain, naproxen 500mg bd (diminish
CNS(alleviating/ aggravating medication effect), stomach upset/GI
factors) Ask pqrstu bleed due to long therapy
Affective Emotions about the pain/ Anger, anxious, anxiety, fear
Behavioural Observable actions are used to Grimacing, clenching hands,
express or control the pain, and
posture/ how they present
themselves in front of you.
Sensory Perception of pain Burning, shooting, intensity
Cognitive Meaning of pain to the client Unable to perform household duties,
able to work at school (distraction),
female, age 45yrs, support system
Sociocultural Mother of two, teacher
September 10, 2023
This study source was downloaded by 100000892213116 from CourseHero.com on 10-11-2024 13:06:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/236077778/PAIN-CASESTUDY-POST-2docx/
Emmeline Meyer is a 45-year-old woman who has recently been diagnosed by a rheumatologist with
rheumatoid arthritis in her back. She is angry that this disease was not correctly diagnosed several
years ago when she first developed symptoms of back discomfort, limited mobility, and generalized
muscle pain. She is the mother of two sons, ages 15 and 22. She has missed going to her son’s sports
games due to back pain. Emmeline is employed as a first-grade school teacher. Her dedication to her
school children has provided the motivation needed to maintain this job despite pain and fatigue.
Emmeline returns home exhausted, in pain, and unable to perform household duties. Emmeline's
health care provider/physician has prescribed naproxen 500 mg bid to control her complaints of
generalized back pain. On weekends Emmeline finds it a struggle to get up before 1 pm. The patient
now presents to the pain management outpatient clinic with complaints of burning, and shooting pain
in her left leg has been increasing in frequency and duration over the last 6 months. Emmeline
appears anxious and expresses concern over her lost functionality. You also note Emmeline
periodically grimacing and clenching her hands. There is a nursing student assigned to the pain clinic
during Emmeline's visit.
Question: The nurse's responsibility is to collect data and complete a comprehensive assessment of
patients before the HCP sees them. You review the five dimensions of pain with the student nurse and
ask the student to identify assessment items that you should assess related to each dimension.
Dimensions of Descriptions Patient clinical manifestations
Pain
Physiologic The process that communicates Burning, full day of work, 6 months of
tissue damage to the pain, naproxen 500mg bd (diminish
CNS(alleviating/ aggravating medication effect), stomach upset/GI
factors) Ask pqrstu bleed due to long therapy
Affective Emotions about the pain/ Anger, anxious, anxiety, fear
Behavioural Observable actions are used to Grimacing, clenching hands,
express or control the pain, and
posture/ how they present
themselves in front of you.
Sensory Perception of pain Burning, shooting, intensity
Cognitive Meaning of pain to the client Unable to perform household duties,
able to work at school (distraction),
female, age 45yrs, support system
Sociocultural Mother of two, teacher
September 10, 2023
This study source was downloaded by 100000892213116 from CourseHero.com on 10-11-2024 13:06:23 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/236077778/PAIN-CASESTUDY-POST-2docx/
