NUR 155 Exam 4 – Actual Exam Content with A+
Graded Answers & Clinical Rationales
Acute Pain - ✔✔Less than 6 months
Treat with PRN Opioids
Will see increased vital signs, dilated pupils, expressing pain (crying)
Chronic Pain - ✔✔Greater than 6 months
Treat with scheduled drugs. Increases therapeutic affect of the drugs. Opioids build in the body.
Watch for toxicity
Will see vital signs WNL, patient will use coping mechanisms, patient doesn't show pain or report it,
assess what helps with pain
Phantom Pain - ✔✔Pain or discomfort felt in an amputated limb
Neuropathic Pain - ✔✔Diabetic
Numbness, tingling
Psychogenic Pain - ✔✔No physical cause
Nociceptive Pain - ✔✔Sensation in tissues
Visceral Pain - ✔✔Organs sending signals
Hunger, urination
Somatic Pain - ✔✔Pain from the skin
Referred pain - ✔✔Pain that is felt in a location other than where the pain originates
Ex: Patient is having an MI, but feeling pain in arm or jaw other than the chest
, Radiating Pain - ✔✔Shooting pain
Narcotics/Opioids - ✔✔Peak is 4-6 hours PO
Next pill will take around 30 minutes to kick in
Pain in the elderly - ✔✔Have lower weight, fat and muscle
Lower kidney and liver function
Increased risk of toxicity. Kidney/liver will not excrete meds as quickly
Give lower dose of opioids or NSAID
Tylenol - ✔✔Max dose in 24 hours is 3000mg
Can cause liver and kidney failure when taken at increased levels
Mild Pain - ✔✔Pain scale of 1-3
Use nonopioid analgesic such as NSAIDS
Motrin which is also Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, Toradol (given IM)
NSAIDS - ✔✔Decrease inflammation
Can cause stomach bleeds. Will see blood in stools and vomiting
Metabolized in the stomach
Moderate Pain - ✔✔Pain scale 4-6
Use opioid or combination of opioid or nonopioid
Severe Pain - ✔✔Pain scale 7-10
Use an opioid
Ex: Oxycodone/Tylenol
Graded Answers & Clinical Rationales
Acute Pain - ✔✔Less than 6 months
Treat with PRN Opioids
Will see increased vital signs, dilated pupils, expressing pain (crying)
Chronic Pain - ✔✔Greater than 6 months
Treat with scheduled drugs. Increases therapeutic affect of the drugs. Opioids build in the body.
Watch for toxicity
Will see vital signs WNL, patient will use coping mechanisms, patient doesn't show pain or report it,
assess what helps with pain
Phantom Pain - ✔✔Pain or discomfort felt in an amputated limb
Neuropathic Pain - ✔✔Diabetic
Numbness, tingling
Psychogenic Pain - ✔✔No physical cause
Nociceptive Pain - ✔✔Sensation in tissues
Visceral Pain - ✔✔Organs sending signals
Hunger, urination
Somatic Pain - ✔✔Pain from the skin
Referred pain - ✔✔Pain that is felt in a location other than where the pain originates
Ex: Patient is having an MI, but feeling pain in arm or jaw other than the chest
, Radiating Pain - ✔✔Shooting pain
Narcotics/Opioids - ✔✔Peak is 4-6 hours PO
Next pill will take around 30 minutes to kick in
Pain in the elderly - ✔✔Have lower weight, fat and muscle
Lower kidney and liver function
Increased risk of toxicity. Kidney/liver will not excrete meds as quickly
Give lower dose of opioids or NSAID
Tylenol - ✔✔Max dose in 24 hours is 3000mg
Can cause liver and kidney failure when taken at increased levels
Mild Pain - ✔✔Pain scale of 1-3
Use nonopioid analgesic such as NSAIDS
Motrin which is also Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, Toradol (given IM)
NSAIDS - ✔✔Decrease inflammation
Can cause stomach bleeds. Will see blood in stools and vomiting
Metabolized in the stomach
Moderate Pain - ✔✔Pain scale 4-6
Use opioid or combination of opioid or nonopioid
Severe Pain - ✔✔Pain scale 7-10
Use an opioid
Ex: Oxycodone/Tylenol
