Med Surg exam 3 questions and answers 2025-2026
update
What is pain defined as in nursing - ✔✔ANS Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever h
or she saus it does
Pain is - ✔✔ANS Subjective
After medication is administered when should you assess the pain - ✔✔ANS 15-30 mins after
Reasons for under treatment of pain - ✔✔ANS Culture or society - pain seen differently in cultures
Lack of knowledge
Fear
Infant/children
Geriatrics
Substance abuse clients
What are some common causes of acute and chronic pain? - ✔✔ANS Trauma
Surgery
Cancer
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Neuropathy
Diagnostic or treatment procedures (injections, intubation, radiation)
What are some factors that can affect the pain experience - ✔✔ANS Age
Fatigue
Cognitive function
Prior experiences
,Anxiety and fear
Support systems and coping styles
Culture
Physiology of pain - ✔✔ANS Transduction (electrical impulse, Nociceptors- peripheral nerve fibers)
Transmission
Neurotransmitters regulate
Pain threshold - when patient feels pain
Pain tolerance - amount of pain they can bear
Perception or awareness
Modulation - spinal cord
Categories of pain - ✔✔ANS Acute pain
Chronic pain
Nociceptive pain
Neuropathic pain
Acute pain is - ✔✔ANS Temporary protective and self limiting
How does acute pain resolve - ✔✔ANS With tissue healing
Physiological symptoms of acute pain - ✔✔ANS "Fight or flight" response
Tachycardia
HTN
Anxiety
Diaphoresis
Muscle tension
*think everything is elevated*
,Behavioral symptoms of acute pain - ✔✔ANS Grimacing, moaning, flinching, guarding
Interventions of acute pain - ✔✔ANS Treatment of underlying cause
*do not use medication for HR and other vital signs*
Chronic pain is ongoing or recurs frequently for longer than how many months - ✔✔ANS > 6 months
What are the physiological symptoms of chronic pain - ✔✔ANS Typically do not alter vital signs
Depression
Fatigue
Decreased level of functioning
Could lead to disability
Chronic pain does not always have - ✔✔ANS Underlying cause
Also, may not respond to intervention
Chronic pain treatment - ✔✔ANS Treat symptoms
May do better with analgesics (around the clock rather than PRN)
Nociceptive pain is - ✔✔ANS Damage or inflammation to tissues instead of peripheral or central nervou
system
What is nociceptive pain defined as - ✔✔ANS Throbbing
Aching
Localized
What does nociceptive pain respond to - ✔✔ANS Opioid and non opioid RX
Types of nociceptive pain - ✔✔ANS Somatic: bones, joints, muscles, skin, connective tissue
Visceral: internal organs, can have "referred" pain
Cutaneous: skin or subcutaneous tissue
, Neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS Abnormal or damaged pain nervesw
What are common examples of neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS Phantom limb pain
Pain below the level of the spinal cord injury
Diabetic neuropathy
What is neuropathic pain described as - ✔✔ANS Intense
Shooting
Burning
Pins and needles
What is the treatment for neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS With adjunctive medications
- antidepressants, antispasmodics, muscle relaxants
What are some assessment questions to ask for pain - ✔✔ANS • Where is your pain?
• Does it radiate?
• What does it feel like?
• Rate on pain scale- 0-10
• When did it start?
• How long does it last?
• Anything make it better or worse? Any medications?
• Constant/intermediate?
• When does it occur?
• Does it affect your ability to work, sleep, ADL's?
Mnemonics for pain assessment - ✔✔ANS OLD CART
PQRST
What does OLD CART stand for - ✔✔ANS Onset
Location
Duration
Characteristics
Aggravating factors
Radiation
update
What is pain defined as in nursing - ✔✔ANS Pain is whatever the patient says it is, existing whenever h
or she saus it does
Pain is - ✔✔ANS Subjective
After medication is administered when should you assess the pain - ✔✔ANS 15-30 mins after
Reasons for under treatment of pain - ✔✔ANS Culture or society - pain seen differently in cultures
Lack of knowledge
Fear
Infant/children
Geriatrics
Substance abuse clients
What are some common causes of acute and chronic pain? - ✔✔ANS Trauma
Surgery
Cancer
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Neuropathy
Diagnostic or treatment procedures (injections, intubation, radiation)
What are some factors that can affect the pain experience - ✔✔ANS Age
Fatigue
Cognitive function
Prior experiences
,Anxiety and fear
Support systems and coping styles
Culture
Physiology of pain - ✔✔ANS Transduction (electrical impulse, Nociceptors- peripheral nerve fibers)
Transmission
Neurotransmitters regulate
Pain threshold - when patient feels pain
Pain tolerance - amount of pain they can bear
Perception or awareness
Modulation - spinal cord
Categories of pain - ✔✔ANS Acute pain
Chronic pain
Nociceptive pain
Neuropathic pain
Acute pain is - ✔✔ANS Temporary protective and self limiting
How does acute pain resolve - ✔✔ANS With tissue healing
Physiological symptoms of acute pain - ✔✔ANS "Fight or flight" response
Tachycardia
HTN
Anxiety
Diaphoresis
Muscle tension
*think everything is elevated*
,Behavioral symptoms of acute pain - ✔✔ANS Grimacing, moaning, flinching, guarding
Interventions of acute pain - ✔✔ANS Treatment of underlying cause
*do not use medication for HR and other vital signs*
Chronic pain is ongoing or recurs frequently for longer than how many months - ✔✔ANS > 6 months
What are the physiological symptoms of chronic pain - ✔✔ANS Typically do not alter vital signs
Depression
Fatigue
Decreased level of functioning
Could lead to disability
Chronic pain does not always have - ✔✔ANS Underlying cause
Also, may not respond to intervention
Chronic pain treatment - ✔✔ANS Treat symptoms
May do better with analgesics (around the clock rather than PRN)
Nociceptive pain is - ✔✔ANS Damage or inflammation to tissues instead of peripheral or central nervou
system
What is nociceptive pain defined as - ✔✔ANS Throbbing
Aching
Localized
What does nociceptive pain respond to - ✔✔ANS Opioid and non opioid RX
Types of nociceptive pain - ✔✔ANS Somatic: bones, joints, muscles, skin, connective tissue
Visceral: internal organs, can have "referred" pain
Cutaneous: skin or subcutaneous tissue
, Neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS Abnormal or damaged pain nervesw
What are common examples of neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS Phantom limb pain
Pain below the level of the spinal cord injury
Diabetic neuropathy
What is neuropathic pain described as - ✔✔ANS Intense
Shooting
Burning
Pins and needles
What is the treatment for neuropathic pain - ✔✔ANS With adjunctive medications
- antidepressants, antispasmodics, muscle relaxants
What are some assessment questions to ask for pain - ✔✔ANS • Where is your pain?
• Does it radiate?
• What does it feel like?
• Rate on pain scale- 0-10
• When did it start?
• How long does it last?
• Anything make it better or worse? Any medications?
• Constant/intermediate?
• When does it occur?
• Does it affect your ability to work, sleep, ADL's?
Mnemonics for pain assessment - ✔✔ANS OLD CART
PQRST
What does OLD CART stand for - ✔✔ANS Onset
Location
Duration
Characteristics
Aggravating factors
Radiation
