ASSESSMENT AND CARE OF PATIENTS
WITH PAIN: MED SURG EXAM WITH
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025
A student asks the nurse what is the best way to assess a clients pain. Which
response by the nurse is best?
a. Numeric pain scale
b. Behavioral assessment
c. Objective observation
d. Clients self-report - CORRECT ANSWERSANS: D
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.
A new nurse reports to the precepting nurse 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. What response by the experienced nurse is best?
a. Being able to sleep doesnt mean pain doesn't exist.
b. Have you ever experienced any type of pain?
,c. The client should be assessed for drug addiction.
addiction.
d. You're right; I would put the medication back. - CORRECT
ANSWERSANS: A
A clients description is the most accurate assessment of pain. The nurse
should believe the client and provide
pain relief. Physiologic changes due to pain vary from client to client, and
assessments of them should not
supersede the clients 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 clients report of pain
serves no useful purpose.
The nurse in the surgery clinic is discussing an upcoming surgical procedure
with a client. What 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. -
CORRECT ANSWERSANS: 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 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.
A nurse is assessing pain on a confused older client who has difficulty with
verbal expression. What 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 - CORRECT ANSWERSANS: C
All are valid pain rating scales; however, some research has shown that the
FACES Pain Scale-Revised is
WITH PAIN: MED SURG EXAM WITH
CORRECT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025
A student asks the nurse what is the best way to assess a clients pain. Which
response by the nurse is best?
a. Numeric pain scale
b. Behavioral assessment
c. Objective observation
d. Clients self-report - CORRECT ANSWERSANS: D
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.
A new nurse reports to the precepting nurse 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. What response by the experienced nurse is best?
a. Being able to sleep doesnt mean pain doesn't exist.
b. Have you ever experienced any type of pain?
,c. The client should be assessed for drug addiction.
addiction.
d. You're right; I would put the medication back. - CORRECT
ANSWERSANS: A
A clients description is the most accurate assessment of pain. The nurse
should believe the client and provide
pain relief. Physiologic changes due to pain vary from client to client, and
assessments of them should not
supersede the clients 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 clients report of pain
serves no useful purpose.
The nurse in the surgery clinic is discussing an upcoming surgical procedure
with a client. What 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. -
CORRECT ANSWERSANS: 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 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.
A nurse is assessing pain on a confused older client who has difficulty with
verbal expression. What 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 - CORRECT ANSWERSANS: C
All are valid pain rating scales; however, some research has shown that the
FACES Pain Scale-Revised is
