With regard to a pregnant woman's anxiety and pain experience, ...

[krzymel]

With regard to a pregnant woman's anxiety and pain experience, nurses should be aware that:
 
  a. Even mild anxiety must be treated.
  b. Severe anxiety increases tension, which increases pain, which in turn increases fear and anxiety, and so on.
  c. Anxiety may increase the perception of pain, but it does not affect the mechanism of labor.
  d. Women who have had a painful labor will have learned from the experience and have less anxiety the second time because of increased familiarity.

Question 2

Nurses with an understanding of cultural differences regarding likely reactions to pain may be better able to help clients. Nurses should know that _____ women may be stoic until late in labor, when they may become vocal and request pain relief.
 
  a. Chinese c. Hispanic
  b. Arab or Middle Eastern d. African-American

[ansleighelindsey]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Anxiety and pain reinforce each other in a negative cycle. Mild anxiety is normal for a woman in labor and likely needs no special treatment other than the standard reassurances. Anxiety increases muscle tension and ultimately can build sufficiently to slow the progress of labor. Unfortunately, an anxious, painful first labor is likely to carry over, through expectations and memories, into an anxious and painful experience in the second pregnancy.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Hispanic women may be stoic early and more vocal and ready for medications later. Chinese women may not show reactions to pain. Medical interventions must be offered more than once. Arab or Middle Eastern women may be vocal in response to labor pain from the start. They may prefer pain medications. African-American women may express pain openly; use of medications for pain is more likely to vary with the individual.