Pain Management- Fundamentals of Nursing (Questions and
Answers)
Which of the following signs or symptoms in an opioid-naïve patient is of greatest concern to the nurse
when assessing the patient 1 hour after administering an opioid?
A. Oxygen saturation of 95%
B. Difficulty arousing the patient
C. Respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
D. Pain intensity rating of 5 on a scale of 0 to 10 - Correct Answer- B
A health care provider writes the following order for an opioid naive patient who returned from the
operating room following a total hip replacement. "Fentanyl patch 100 mcg, change every 3 days." Based
on this order, the nurse takes the following action:
A. Calls the health care provider, and questions the order
B. Applies the patch the third postoperative day
C. Applies the patch as soon as the patient reports pain
D. Places the patch as close to the hip dressing as possible - Correct Answer- A
A patient is being discharged home on an around-the-clock (ATC) opioid for chronic back pain. Because
of this order, the nurse anticipates an order for which class of medication?
A. Stool softener
B. Stimulant laxative
C. H 2 receptor blocker
D. Proton pump inhibitor - Correct Answer- B
A new medical resident writes an order for OxyContin SR 10 mg PO q12 hours prn. Which part of the
order does the nurse question?
A. The drug
B. The time interval
C. The dose
,D. The route - Correct Answer- B
The nurse notices that a patient has received oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet) (5/325) two tablets PO
every 3 hours for the past 3 days. What concerns the nurse the most?
A. The patient's level of pain
B. The potential for addiction
C. The amount of daily acetaminophen
D. The risk for gastrointestinal bleeding - Correct Answer- C
A patient with chronic low back pain who took an opioid around-the-clock (ATC) for the past year
decided to abruptly stop the medication for fear of addiction. He is now experiencing shaking chills,
abdominal cramps, and joint pain. The nurse recognizes that this patient is experiencing symptoms of:
A. Addiction.
B. Tolerance.
C. Pseudoaddiction.
D. Physical dependence. - Correct Answer- D
After having received 0.2 mg of naloxone (Narcan) intravenous push (IVP), a patient' s respiratory rate
and depth are within normal limits. The nurse now plans to implement the following action:
A. Discontinue all ordered opioids
B. Close the room door to allow the patient to recover
C. Administer the remaining naloxone over 4 minutes
D. Assess patient's vital signs every 15 minutes for 2 hours - Correct Answer- D
Which one of the following instructions is crucial for the nurse to give to both family members and the
patient who is about to be started on a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) of morphine?
A. Only the patient should push the button.
B. Do not use the PCA until the pain is severe.
C. The PCA prevents overdoses from occurring.
, D. Notify the nurse when the button is pushed. - Correct Answer- A
A patient with a history of a stroke that left her confused and unable to communicate returns from
interventional radiology following placement of a gastrostomy tube. The health care provider's order
reads as follows: "Vicodin 1 tab, per tube, q4 hours, prn." Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A. No action is required by the nurse because the order is appropriate.
B. Request to have the ordered changed to ATC (around the clock) for the first 48 hours.
C. Ask for a change of medication to meperidine (Demerol) 50 mg IVP, q3 hours, prn.
D. Begin the Vicodin when the patient shows nonverbal symptoms of pain. - Correct Answer- B
A patient returning to the nursing unit after knee surgery is verbalizing pain at the surgical site. The
nurse's first action is to:
A. Call the patient's health care provider.
B. Administer pain medication as ordered.
C. Check the patient's vital signs.
D. Assess the characteristics of the pain. - Correct Answer- D
The patient rates his pain as a 6 on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain.
The patient's wife says that he can't be in that much pain since he has been sleeping for 30 minutes.
Which is the most accurate resource for assessing the pain?
A. The patient's wife is the best resource for determining the level of pain since she has been with him
continually for the entire day.
B. The patient's report of pain is the best method for assessing the pain.
C. The patient's health care provider has the best knowledge of the level of pain that the patient that
should be experiencing.
D. The nurse is the most experienced at assessing pain. - Correct Answer- B
When using ice massage for pain relief, which of the following are correct? (Select all that apply.)
A. Apply ice using firm pressure over skin.
B. Apply ice until numbness occurs and remove the ice for 5 to 10 minutes.
Answers)
Which of the following signs or symptoms in an opioid-naïve patient is of greatest concern to the nurse
when assessing the patient 1 hour after administering an opioid?
A. Oxygen saturation of 95%
B. Difficulty arousing the patient
C. Respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
D. Pain intensity rating of 5 on a scale of 0 to 10 - Correct Answer- B
A health care provider writes the following order for an opioid naive patient who returned from the
operating room following a total hip replacement. "Fentanyl patch 100 mcg, change every 3 days." Based
on this order, the nurse takes the following action:
A. Calls the health care provider, and questions the order
B. Applies the patch the third postoperative day
C. Applies the patch as soon as the patient reports pain
D. Places the patch as close to the hip dressing as possible - Correct Answer- A
A patient is being discharged home on an around-the-clock (ATC) opioid for chronic back pain. Because
of this order, the nurse anticipates an order for which class of medication?
A. Stool softener
B. Stimulant laxative
C. H 2 receptor blocker
D. Proton pump inhibitor - Correct Answer- B
A new medical resident writes an order for OxyContin SR 10 mg PO q12 hours prn. Which part of the
order does the nurse question?
A. The drug
B. The time interval
C. The dose
,D. The route - Correct Answer- B
The nurse notices that a patient has received oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet) (5/325) two tablets PO
every 3 hours for the past 3 days. What concerns the nurse the most?
A. The patient's level of pain
B. The potential for addiction
C. The amount of daily acetaminophen
D. The risk for gastrointestinal bleeding - Correct Answer- C
A patient with chronic low back pain who took an opioid around-the-clock (ATC) for the past year
decided to abruptly stop the medication for fear of addiction. He is now experiencing shaking chills,
abdominal cramps, and joint pain. The nurse recognizes that this patient is experiencing symptoms of:
A. Addiction.
B. Tolerance.
C. Pseudoaddiction.
D. Physical dependence. - Correct Answer- D
After having received 0.2 mg of naloxone (Narcan) intravenous push (IVP), a patient' s respiratory rate
and depth are within normal limits. The nurse now plans to implement the following action:
A. Discontinue all ordered opioids
B. Close the room door to allow the patient to recover
C. Administer the remaining naloxone over 4 minutes
D. Assess patient's vital signs every 15 minutes for 2 hours - Correct Answer- D
Which one of the following instructions is crucial for the nurse to give to both family members and the
patient who is about to be started on a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) of morphine?
A. Only the patient should push the button.
B. Do not use the PCA until the pain is severe.
C. The PCA prevents overdoses from occurring.
, D. Notify the nurse when the button is pushed. - Correct Answer- A
A patient with a history of a stroke that left her confused and unable to communicate returns from
interventional radiology following placement of a gastrostomy tube. The health care provider's order
reads as follows: "Vicodin 1 tab, per tube, q4 hours, prn." Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A. No action is required by the nurse because the order is appropriate.
B. Request to have the ordered changed to ATC (around the clock) for the first 48 hours.
C. Ask for a change of medication to meperidine (Demerol) 50 mg IVP, q3 hours, prn.
D. Begin the Vicodin when the patient shows nonverbal symptoms of pain. - Correct Answer- B
A patient returning to the nursing unit after knee surgery is verbalizing pain at the surgical site. The
nurse's first action is to:
A. Call the patient's health care provider.
B. Administer pain medication as ordered.
C. Check the patient's vital signs.
D. Assess the characteristics of the pain. - Correct Answer- D
The patient rates his pain as a 6 on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain.
The patient's wife says that he can't be in that much pain since he has been sleeping for 30 minutes.
Which is the most accurate resource for assessing the pain?
A. The patient's wife is the best resource for determining the level of pain since she has been with him
continually for the entire day.
B. The patient's report of pain is the best method for assessing the pain.
C. The patient's health care provider has the best knowledge of the level of pain that the patient that
should be experiencing.
D. The nurse is the most experienced at assessing pain. - Correct Answer- B
When using ice massage for pain relief, which of the following are correct? (Select all that apply.)
A. Apply ice using firm pressure over skin.
B. Apply ice until numbness occurs and remove the ice for 5 to 10 minutes.
