A newborn nursery nurse is caring for a newborn who will be ...

[TVarnum]

A newborn nursery nurse is caring for a newborn who will be circumcised and asks the health care provider to prescribe a pain medication.
 
  The healthcare provider states: Newborns do not have pain at this age, so why should we give any medication? Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?
  1. I would think it would make the parents feel better to know it had been given.
  2. I am going to have to report you to the ethics board.
  3. Pain transmission has been documented in all age groups.
  4. What will it hurt to just go ahead and give it?

Question 2

A school-age client is brought to the emergency department after an arm injury during a football game.
 
  When the nurse tells the client that pain medication will be administered through the intravenous line the client begins to scream and wave the unaffected arm. The client's parents ask the nurse why their child is behaving this way. Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?
  1. Your child is just immature.
  2. Your child is just scared.
  3. It looks like your child may have experienced a head injury as well.
  4. Your child may be remembering a painful injection experience.

[kingdude89]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 3

Research has changed the perception that infants do not feel pain. Performing procedures that may induce pain necessitates that pain management interventions should be implemented. An infant may have pain interventions based upon behavioral responses exhibited. The emotional well-being of the parents is of interest but does not address the question being asked. Reporting the healthcare provider to the ethics board is not indicated as the healthcare provider has not acted in a manner consistent with a violation of ethics. Asking for the medication to be given does not meet the question being asked.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 4

A client's nervous system responds to pain, but many times there are also behavioral responses. A client's pain reaction may be a behavioral response to a similar or previous situation when pain was experienced. This is a learned response and method of coping with the pain. Many children remember getting a shot for pain, or getting an immunization. Seeing the syringe and/or needle may trigger this pain reaction. Assuming the child is just scared is not something the nurse can be sure of, as it is never safe to assume anything as a definite. There is no information to indicate the presence of a head injury or that the client is immature for age.

[TVarnum]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[JCABRERA33]

Excellent