Chapter 12: Drugs for Pain Management AND
Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology, 10th
Edition QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+
1. What types of drugs have the main purpose of relieving pain? - CORRECT ANSWER
--Analgesics
2. An adult patient has returned to the unit from an operative procedure. The healthcare
provider
asks you to rate a patient's postoperative pain. What is your best response? -
CORRECT ANSWER --"I will ask the patient to rate his own pain."
3. You are caring for a female patient who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a
large open
wound on her right heel. When asked about her pain in that foot, she tells you it is a 0
on a 0 to 10
pain rating scale. What does this response indicate? - CORRECT ANSWER --The
patient's paralysis prevents the patient's brain from perceiving the pain.
4. A nursing student assigned to work with you asks you to explain why natural and
synthetic
opioids are considered "high-alert drugs?" What is your best response? - CORRECT
ANSWER --"Opioids have an increased risk for causing a patient harm if given in error.
5. The RN has given 2 mg of hydromorphone intravenously to a patient for severe pain.
When
you assess the patient's pain level an hour after receiving the drug you find the patient
asleep with
a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min. What is your best first action? - CORRECT
ANSWER --Assess the patient's oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry.
6. A patient being discharged to home is prescribed an oxycodone-acetaminophen
combination
, for pain management. Which statement regarding a precaution is most important to
teach this
patient? - CORRECT ANSWER --"Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat foods high in
fiber to prevent constipation."
7. You accidentally give a patient 30 mg orally of hydromorphone (Dilaudid) instead of
the 30 mg
of oral hydrocodone ordered. What is your first best action? - CORRECT ANSWER --
Notify the RN in charge immediately
8. When assessing the blood pressure of a patient receiving pentazocine (Talwin) 30
mg orally for
pain control two days after surgery, the reading is 166/100, which is much higher than
the
patient's presurgical blood pressure. What is your best action? - CORRECT ANSWER --
Assess the patient for other cardiac changes.
9. A patient with chronic pain asks you to explain how tramadol works to help control
pain. What
is your best response? - CORRECT ANSWER --"Tramadol acts by blocking
neurotransmitters in the spinal cord and brain."
10.A patient with chronic arthritis pain reports taking acetaminophen 4 to 6 g/day for
arthritis
pain. Which health problem should you teach this patient that can occur as a result of
taking this
acetaminophen therapy? - CORRECT ANSWER --Liver toxicity can result as a result of
high acetaminophen doses."
11. The postoperative orders for an adult patient who has just arrived on your unit after
major
abdominal surgery reads morphine 15mg IM every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain.
What is the
best schedule for pain relief during the first postoperative day for this patient? -
CORRECT ANSWER --Give the drug automatically every 4 hours around the clock for
the 24 hours
12. Which of the following assessments is most important to perform on a patient newly
prescribed to take cyclobenzaprine for severe muscle pain - CORRECT ANSWER --
Blood pressure and heart rate
13. Which patient should be assessed closely for complications of pain management
with
methocarbamol - CORRECT ANSWER --75 -year-old man with benign prostatic
hyperplasia
Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology, 10th
Edition QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+
1. What types of drugs have the main purpose of relieving pain? - CORRECT ANSWER
--Analgesics
2. An adult patient has returned to the unit from an operative procedure. The healthcare
provider
asks you to rate a patient's postoperative pain. What is your best response? -
CORRECT ANSWER --"I will ask the patient to rate his own pain."
3. You are caring for a female patient who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a
large open
wound on her right heel. When asked about her pain in that foot, she tells you it is a 0
on a 0 to 10
pain rating scale. What does this response indicate? - CORRECT ANSWER --The
patient's paralysis prevents the patient's brain from perceiving the pain.
4. A nursing student assigned to work with you asks you to explain why natural and
synthetic
opioids are considered "high-alert drugs?" What is your best response? - CORRECT
ANSWER --"Opioids have an increased risk for causing a patient harm if given in error.
5. The RN has given 2 mg of hydromorphone intravenously to a patient for severe pain.
When
you assess the patient's pain level an hour after receiving the drug you find the patient
asleep with
a respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min. What is your best first action? - CORRECT
ANSWER --Assess the patient's oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry.
6. A patient being discharged to home is prescribed an oxycodone-acetaminophen
combination
, for pain management. Which statement regarding a precaution is most important to
teach this
patient? - CORRECT ANSWER --"Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat foods high in
fiber to prevent constipation."
7. You accidentally give a patient 30 mg orally of hydromorphone (Dilaudid) instead of
the 30 mg
of oral hydrocodone ordered. What is your first best action? - CORRECT ANSWER --
Notify the RN in charge immediately
8. When assessing the blood pressure of a patient receiving pentazocine (Talwin) 30
mg orally for
pain control two days after surgery, the reading is 166/100, which is much higher than
the
patient's presurgical blood pressure. What is your best action? - CORRECT ANSWER --
Assess the patient for other cardiac changes.
9. A patient with chronic pain asks you to explain how tramadol works to help control
pain. What
is your best response? - CORRECT ANSWER --"Tramadol acts by blocking
neurotransmitters in the spinal cord and brain."
10.A patient with chronic arthritis pain reports taking acetaminophen 4 to 6 g/day for
arthritis
pain. Which health problem should you teach this patient that can occur as a result of
taking this
acetaminophen therapy? - CORRECT ANSWER --Liver toxicity can result as a result of
high acetaminophen doses."
11. The postoperative orders for an adult patient who has just arrived on your unit after
major
abdominal surgery reads morphine 15mg IM every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain.
What is the
best schedule for pain relief during the first postoperative day for this patient? -
CORRECT ANSWER --Give the drug automatically every 4 hours around the clock for
the 24 hours
12. Which of the following assessments is most important to perform on a patient newly
prescribed to take cyclobenzaprine for severe muscle pain - CORRECT ANSWER --
Blood pressure and heart rate
13. Which patient should be assessed closely for complications of pain management
with
methocarbamol - CORRECT ANSWER --75 -year-old man with benign prostatic
hyperplasia
