In which situation would the nurse consider drug administration as palliative?
a. Thyroid hormone replacement for a menopausal patient
b. Pain management for a patient with terminal cancer
c. Antibiotic therapy for a patient with a bacterial infection
d. Iron supplements for the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia - Answers b. Pain management for a
patient with terminal cancer
Rationale
Palliate means to alleviate without curing. Palliation therapy is typically used for patients with end-
stage disease or illness to make them as comfortable as possible. An example is pain management for
the terminally ill. Hormone replacement is used to prevent symptoms related to hormone deficiency.
It may not be used as a curative therapy in all conditions. Hormone replacement is used as palliative
therapy in menopausal women. Antibiotic therapy and iron supplementation are not typically
palliative therapies; these are curative therapies.
When a patient has severe pain due to muscle cramps, which type of pain is the patient experiencing?
a. Somatic pain
b. Visceral pain
c. Referred pain
d. Radiating pain - Answers a. Somatic pain
When having to leave the unit just after giving a narcotic for pain relief, to whom would the nurse
delegate the task of evaluating the patient's response to the pain medication?
a. A unit clerk
b. A student nurse
c. Another registered nurse (RN)
d. A patient care aide - Answers c. Another registered nurse (RN)
Which statement would the nurse associate with acute pain? Select all that apply. One, some, or all
responses may be correct.
a. Most likely depression and fatigue accompany acute pain.
b. Acute pain has an identifiable cause.
c. Acute pain lasts less than 6 months.
d. Anxiety increases the severity of acute pain.
e. Patients with acute pain seek numerous health care providers. - Answers b. Acute pain has an
identifiable cause.
c. Acute pain lasts less than 6 months.
d. Anxiety increases the severity of acute pain.
When collecting data on a group of patients, which patient would the nurse conclude has referred
pain?
a. A patient with a deep aching and throbbing pain from burns to the skin
b. A patient with thoracic pain caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease
c. A patient with a shoulder fracture who reports a deep prickling sensation
d. A patient with acute appendicitis and severe pain in the umbilical area - Answers d. A patient with
acute appendicitis and severe pain in the umbilical area
Which question would the nurse ask when assessing a hospitalized patient with acute pain? Select all
that apply. One, some, or all responses may be correct.
a. "How bad is your pain now?"
b. "What makes your pain worse?"
c. "Would you describe your pain for me?"
d. "What is the worst pain you have had in the past 24 hours?"
e. "Show me where you hurt. Does it stay there or does it spread?" - Answers b. "What makes your
pain worse?"