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Nursing 354 Pain Management Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
___________________________________________________________________
1. A patient reports pain as 8 out of 10 one hour after surgery. What is the
nurse's priority action?
A. Tell the patient that postoperative pain is expected
B. Reassess the patient's pain and determine appropriate interventions
C. Encourage the patient to sleep
D. Wait until the next scheduled medication time
Answer: Reassess the patient's pain and determine appropriate interventions
Rationale: Pain is subjective and should be assessed and treated promptly.
Reassessment helps determine whether additional interventions are needed.
2. Which statement best describes acute pain?
A. Pain that persists beyond expected healing
B. Pain caused only by psychological factors
C. Pain that is usually associated with tissue injury and has a limited duration
D. Pain that occurs only in patients with chronic illness
Answer: Pain that is usually associated with tissue injury and has a limited
duration
,Rationale: Acute pain generally occurs suddenly, is associated with injury or
illness, and resolves as the underlying cause improves.
3. Which assessment is considered the most reliable indicator of pain
intensity?
A. Facial expression
B. Heart rate
C. Patient's self-report
D. Blood pressure
Answer: Patient's self-report
Rationale: Pain is subjective. When a patient can communicate, self-report is the
most reliable indicator of pain intensity.
4. A patient describes pain as burning and shooting along an extremity. Which
type of pain is most likely?
A. Visceral pain
B. Neuropathic pain
C. Somatic pain
D. Referred pain
Answer: Neuropathic pain
Rationale: Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury or dysfunction and may be
described as burning, shooting, electric, or tingling.
5. Which scale is commonly appropriate for assessing pain in an alert adult
who can communicate verbally?
A. Glasgow Coma Scale
B. Braden Scale
C. Numeric rating scale
D. Apgar score
Answer: Numeric rating scale
,Rationale: A numeric rating scale allows many adults to rate pain using a
numerical range, commonly from 0 to 10.
6. Which statement by a nurse demonstrates appropriate pain assessment?
A. "Your vital signs are normal, so your pain cannot be severe."
B. "Pain is expected after surgery, so try to ignore it."
C. "Tell me where the pain is, what it feels like, and what makes it better or
worse."
D. "You received medication earlier, so you should not be hurting."
Answer: "Tell me where the pain is, what it feels like, and what makes it better
or worse."
Rationale: A comprehensive pain assessment includes location, quality, intensity,
timing, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and functional impact.
7. Which physiological response is commonly associated with acute pain?
A. Bradycardia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Hypothermia
Answer: Tachycardia
Rationale: Acute pain can activate the sympathetic nervous system, producing
tachycardia, increased blood pressure, and other stress responses.
8. Which intervention is a nonpharmacological approach to pain
management?
A. Administering morphine
B. Applying a prescribed topical anesthetic
C. Guided imagery
D. Administering acetaminophen
Answer: Guided imagery
, Rationale: Guided imagery is a nonpharmacological technique that may reduce
pain perception and promote relaxation.
9. What is the primary goal of multimodal pain management?
A. Eliminate all medications
B. Use multiple approaches that target pain through different mechanisms
C. Use opioids for every type of pain
D. Prevent patients from reporting pain
Answer: Use multiple approaches that target pain through different mechanisms
Rationale: Multimodal analgesia combines pharmacological and
nonpharmacological methods to improve pain control while potentially reducing
adverse effects from individual therapies.
10.A patient receiving an opioid becomes difficult to arouse and has slow
respirations. What is the nurse's priority?
A. Give another opioid dose
B. Encourage oral fluids
C. Assess respiratory status and provide immediate intervention according to
protocol
D. Allow the patient to sleep
Answer: Assess respiratory status and provide immediate intervention according
to protocol
Rationale: Respiratory depression is a potentially serious opioid adverse effect.
Airway and breathing assessment are immediate priorities.
11.Which medication is an opioid analgesic?
A. Ibuprofen
B. Acetaminophen
C. Morphine
D. Ketorolac
Answer: Morphine
Nursing 354 Pain Management Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
___________________________________________________________________
1. A patient reports pain as 8 out of 10 one hour after surgery. What is the
nurse's priority action?
A. Tell the patient that postoperative pain is expected
B. Reassess the patient's pain and determine appropriate interventions
C. Encourage the patient to sleep
D. Wait until the next scheduled medication time
Answer: Reassess the patient's pain and determine appropriate interventions
Rationale: Pain is subjective and should be assessed and treated promptly.
Reassessment helps determine whether additional interventions are needed.
2. Which statement best describes acute pain?
A. Pain that persists beyond expected healing
B. Pain caused only by psychological factors
C. Pain that is usually associated with tissue injury and has a limited duration
D. Pain that occurs only in patients with chronic illness
Answer: Pain that is usually associated with tissue injury and has a limited
duration
,Rationale: Acute pain generally occurs suddenly, is associated with injury or
illness, and resolves as the underlying cause improves.
3. Which assessment is considered the most reliable indicator of pain
intensity?
A. Facial expression
B. Heart rate
C. Patient's self-report
D. Blood pressure
Answer: Patient's self-report
Rationale: Pain is subjective. When a patient can communicate, self-report is the
most reliable indicator of pain intensity.
4. A patient describes pain as burning and shooting along an extremity. Which
type of pain is most likely?
A. Visceral pain
B. Neuropathic pain
C. Somatic pain
D. Referred pain
Answer: Neuropathic pain
Rationale: Neuropathic pain results from nerve injury or dysfunction and may be
described as burning, shooting, electric, or tingling.
5. Which scale is commonly appropriate for assessing pain in an alert adult
who can communicate verbally?
A. Glasgow Coma Scale
B. Braden Scale
C. Numeric rating scale
D. Apgar score
Answer: Numeric rating scale
,Rationale: A numeric rating scale allows many adults to rate pain using a
numerical range, commonly from 0 to 10.
6. Which statement by a nurse demonstrates appropriate pain assessment?
A. "Your vital signs are normal, so your pain cannot be severe."
B. "Pain is expected after surgery, so try to ignore it."
C. "Tell me where the pain is, what it feels like, and what makes it better or
worse."
D. "You received medication earlier, so you should not be hurting."
Answer: "Tell me where the pain is, what it feels like, and what makes it better
or worse."
Rationale: A comprehensive pain assessment includes location, quality, intensity,
timing, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and functional impact.
7. Which physiological response is commonly associated with acute pain?
A. Bradycardia
B. Hypotension
C. Tachycardia
D. Hypothermia
Answer: Tachycardia
Rationale: Acute pain can activate the sympathetic nervous system, producing
tachycardia, increased blood pressure, and other stress responses.
8. Which intervention is a nonpharmacological approach to pain
management?
A. Administering morphine
B. Applying a prescribed topical anesthetic
C. Guided imagery
D. Administering acetaminophen
Answer: Guided imagery
, Rationale: Guided imagery is a nonpharmacological technique that may reduce
pain perception and promote relaxation.
9. What is the primary goal of multimodal pain management?
A. Eliminate all medications
B. Use multiple approaches that target pain through different mechanisms
C. Use opioids for every type of pain
D. Prevent patients from reporting pain
Answer: Use multiple approaches that target pain through different mechanisms
Rationale: Multimodal analgesia combines pharmacological and
nonpharmacological methods to improve pain control while potentially reducing
adverse effects from individual therapies.
10.A patient receiving an opioid becomes difficult to arouse and has slow
respirations. What is the nurse's priority?
A. Give another opioid dose
B. Encourage oral fluids
C. Assess respiratory status and provide immediate intervention according to
protocol
D. Allow the patient to sleep
Answer: Assess respiratory status and provide immediate intervention according
to protocol
Rationale: Respiratory depression is a potentially serious opioid adverse effect.
Airway and breathing assessment are immediate priorities.
11.Which medication is an opioid analgesic?
A. Ibuprofen
B. Acetaminophen
C. Morphine
D. Ketorolac
Answer: Morphine
