An older patient living at home with cancer reports having to ...

[SGallaher96]

An older patient living at home with cancer reports having to take twice as much pain medication over the last 24 hours. What should the nurse do with this information?
 
  1. Adjust the medication as needed.
  2. Discuss options to treat breakthrough pain.
  3. Try alternative methods for pain relief instead of pain medication.
  4. Talk with the physician to change the medication because of opioid tolerance.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for two patients. An older patient reports abdominal pain as being 5 out of 10 on the pain rating scale, whereas a younger patient reports left lower quadrant abdominal pain as being 10 out 10 on the scale.
 
  What would the nurse identify as reason for the discrepancy between the two patients' measurements of pain? 1. Younger patients tend to be more dramatic when complaining of pain.
  2. Visceral pain is less severe in older patients and may be reported as mild.
  3. Visceral pain is more severe in older patients, but they are less likely to complain.
  4. Visceral pain is less severe in younger patients but is reported as high in intensity.

[bitingbit]

Answer to Question 1

2
Rationale: The patient may be experiencing breakthrough pain and a different pain management approach may be needed. Adjusting the medication as needed could lead to problems with pain management.

Answer to Question 2

2
Rationale: There is no evidence to support that younger patients are more dramatic when complaining of pain.

[SGallaher96]

TY

[bitingbit]

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