The nurse observes an older patient crying, tensed, and lying ...

[dollx]

The nurse observes an older patient crying, tensed, and lying rigidly in bed. What action should the nurse take first?
 
  A) Reposition the patient in bed
  B) Perform a systematic pain assessment
  C) Ask the patient if she is experiencing a problem
  D) Prepare a dose of breakthrough medication for the patient.

Question 2

A nurse who provides care for a diverse patient population on a busy medical unit has had significant success with the use of ice and heat in the management of patients' pain.
 
  The nurse should exercise particular caution when applying cold therapy or heat therapy to a patient who:
  A) Is unable to communicate or has a cognitive or sensory deficit
  B) Is simultaneously using a patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) pump
  C) Consistently rates his or her pain at 8 out of 10 or higher
  D) Has pain unrelated to observable tissue damage

[dpost18]

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
Part of comforting is the perception of patients' problems. The nurse should ask the patient to describe any problems she is currently experiencing. It would be premature to draw up breakthrough analgesia or to reposition the patient before further assessment, while a pain assessment may be inappropriate given the multiple potential causes of the patient's affect.

Answer to Question 2

A

[dollx]

Excellent

[bdobbins]

TYSM