C HAPTER 44: P AIN M ANAGEMENT
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following statements made by a nurse caring for a client
reporting severe pain expresses the most insight into how pain impacts a
clients energy reserves?
A. If I can’t get his pain under control, his recovery will take a lot
longer.
B. Pain certainl y interferes with the clients abilit y to rest and
recuperate.
C. I’m going to call for another pain prescription so he can get some
rest.
D. Trying to cope with pain is using up the energy that his recovery
requires.
ANS: D
Pain is exhausting and demands a persons energy. The remaining
options do express this fact but not as directl y as the answer.
DIF: C REF: 1066 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
,2. Which of the following statements made by the nurse regarding the clients
self-assessment of pai n requires immediate follow -up regarding the
personal nature of pain?
A. The medication should be providing enough relief; try to ambulate
her.
B. I’ve never known anyone to have such pain after that procedure.
C. He should be able to ambulate with onl y minimal pai n by now.
D. She says she’s in pain, but she doesn ’t act like she is in pain.
ANS: D
It is not the responsibilit y of clients to prove that they are in pain; it is
the nurses responsibilit y to accept clients report of pain. Although the
other options appear to be insensitive to the clients pain, they are not
as overtl y critical.
DIF: C REF: 1057 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
3. The nurse recognizes that the most likel y reason a runner who has injured
his ankle during a race is not aware of it until after he crosses the finish
line is that:
A. The emotional exhilaration of running the race masked the pain of
the injury
B. His endorphin levels were high as a result of the physical stressors
of the race
C. He was mentall y distracted by the need to concentrate on the ever -
changing nature of the race
, D. The physical effects of the injury slowl y increased during the race
and reached pain-producing capacit y onl y after the race
ANS: B
Stress, exercise, and other factors increase the release of endorphins,
raising an individuals pain threshold (the point at which a person feels
pain). Because the amount of circulating substan ces varies with each
individual, the response to pain will be different. Although the other
options may have affected his pain perception, they did not exert as
much influence as the answer.
DIF: C REF: 1053 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
4. Which of the following statements by the nurse reflects a need for
immediate follow-up regarding the physical eff ects of chronic pain on
body function?
A. His pulse and blood pressure are within his normal baseline limits,
so Im sure the pain medication is working.
B. Please take his pulse and blood pressure, and let me know if they
are elevated above his normal baselines.
C. If his pulse and blood pressure are above his normal baseline, let me
know, and I will medicate him for pain.
D. Unmanaged pain usuall y manifests itself in both an elevated pulse
and blood pressure.
ANS: A
, Except in cases of severe traumatic pain, which se nds a person into
shock, most people reach a level of adaptation in which physical signs
return to normal. Thus clients in pain will not always have changes in
their vital signs. Changes in vital signs are more often indicative of
problems other than pain. Although the remaining options recognize
the phenomena, they are not assuming that no elevation of vital signs
means the absence of pain.
DIF: C REF: 1054 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment/Planning MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
5. A client with a history of chronic back pain is questioning the need to
keep asking for pain medication, fearing that he will be viewed as being
weak by his famil y. The most therapeutic nursing response to this client
would be:
A. Chronic back pain is very difficult to deal with; utilize the pain
medication because that ’s what it’s there for.
B. Your famil y won’t think you’re weak; they want you to be
comfortable, and the medication will help.
C. Taking the medication as prescribed will help you to be more
active; your famil y will be happy you can do things with them
again.
D. It’s important that you manage your pain as effectivel y as possible;
it reall y doesn’t matter what other people think about you.
ANS: C
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following statements made by a nurse caring for a client
reporting severe pain expresses the most insight into how pain impacts a
clients energy reserves?
A. If I can’t get his pain under control, his recovery will take a lot
longer.
B. Pain certainl y interferes with the clients abilit y to rest and
recuperate.
C. I’m going to call for another pain prescription so he can get some
rest.
D. Trying to cope with pain is using up the energy that his recovery
requires.
ANS: D
Pain is exhausting and demands a persons energy. The remaining
options do express this fact but not as directl y as the answer.
DIF: C REF: 1066 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
,2. Which of the following statements made by the nurse regarding the clients
self-assessment of pai n requires immediate follow -up regarding the
personal nature of pain?
A. The medication should be providing enough relief; try to ambulate
her.
B. I’ve never known anyone to have such pain after that procedure.
C. He should be able to ambulate with onl y minimal pai n by now.
D. She says she’s in pain, but she doesn ’t act like she is in pain.
ANS: D
It is not the responsibilit y of clients to prove that they are in pain; it is
the nurses responsibilit y to accept clients report of pain. Although the
other options appear to be insensitive to the clients pain, they are not
as overtl y critical.
DIF: C REF: 1057 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
3. The nurse recognizes that the most likel y reason a runner who has injured
his ankle during a race is not aware of it until after he crosses the finish
line is that:
A. The emotional exhilaration of running the race masked the pain of
the injury
B. His endorphin levels were high as a result of the physical stressors
of the race
C. He was mentall y distracted by the need to concentrate on the ever -
changing nature of the race
, D. The physical effects of the injury slowl y increased during the race
and reached pain-producing capacit y onl y after the race
ANS: B
Stress, exercise, and other factors increase the release of endorphins,
raising an individuals pain threshold (the point at which a person feels
pain). Because the amount of circulating substan ces varies with each
individual, the response to pain will be different. Although the other
options may have affected his pain perception, they did not exert as
much influence as the answer.
DIF: C REF: 1053 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
4. Which of the following statements by the nurse reflects a need for
immediate follow-up regarding the physical eff ects of chronic pain on
body function?
A. His pulse and blood pressure are within his normal baseline limits,
so Im sure the pain medication is working.
B. Please take his pulse and blood pressure, and let me know if they
are elevated above his normal baselines.
C. If his pulse and blood pressure are above his normal baseline, let me
know, and I will medicate him for pain.
D. Unmanaged pain usuall y manifests itself in both an elevated pulse
and blood pressure.
ANS: A
, Except in cases of severe traumatic pain, which se nds a person into
shock, most people reach a level of adaptation in which physical signs
return to normal. Thus clients in pain will not always have changes in
their vital signs. Changes in vital signs are more often indicative of
problems other than pain. Although the remaining options recognize
the phenomena, they are not assuming that no elevation of vital signs
means the absence of pain.
DIF: C REF: 1054 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Assessment/Planning MSC: NC LEX test plan designation:
Pharmacological Therapies/Pharmacological Pain Management;
Physiological Integrity/Basic Care and Comfort
5. A client with a history of chronic back pain is questioning the need to
keep asking for pain medication, fearing that he will be viewed as being
weak by his famil y. The most therapeutic nursing response to this client
would be:
A. Chronic back pain is very difficult to deal with; utilize the pain
medication because that ’s what it’s there for.
B. Your famil y won’t think you’re weak; they want you to be
comfortable, and the medication will help.
C. Taking the medication as prescribed will help you to be more
active; your famil y will be happy you can do things with them
again.
D. It’s important that you manage your pain as effectivel y as possible;
it reall y doesn’t matter what other people think about you.
ANS: C
