ESSENTIALS OF PEDIATRIC NURSING CH 14 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

ESSENTIALS OF PEDIATRIC NURSING CH 14 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The nurse is teaching the student nurse the physiology involved in pain transmission. Which statements accurately describes a physiologic event in the nervous system related to pain transmission? Select all that apply. A) Thermal stimulation may involve the release of mediators, such as histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, or bradykinin. B) When nociceptors are activated by noxious stimuli, the stimuli are converted to electrical impulses that are relayed to the spinal cord and brain. C) Myelinated A-delta fibers are large fibers that conduct the impulse at very rapid rates; unmyelinated small C fibers transmit the impulse slowly. D) Once in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, the nerve fibers divide and then cross to the opposite side and rise upward to the thalamus. E) The point at which the person first feels the highest intensity of the painful stimulus is termed the pain threshold. F) Peripheral sensitizatio - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: B, C, D, F Feedback: When nociceptors are activated by noxious stimuli, the stimuli are converted to electrical impulses that are relayed along the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and brain. Myelinated A-delta fibers are large fibers that conduct the impulse at very rapid rates; unmyelinated small C fibers transmit the impulse slowly. Once in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, the nerve fibers divide and then cross to the opposite side and rise upward to the thalamus. Peripheral sensitization allows the nerve fibers to react to a stimulus that is of lower intensity than would be needed to cause pain. Chemical stimulation may involve the release of mediators, such as histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, or bradykinin. The point at which the person first feels the lowest intensity of the painful stimulus is termed the pain threshold. Origin: Chapter 14, 2 The nurse is managing children who have chronic diseases in a neighborhood clinic. What are some examples of chronic conditions? Select all that apply. A) Diabetes mellitus B) Myocardial infarction C) Rheumatoid arthritis D) Compound fracture E) Acute asthma F) Bronchopneumonia - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: A, C, E Feedback: Chronic pain is defined as pain that continues past the expected point of healing for injured tissue. Diabetes, arthritis, and asthma are examples of chronic pain. Acute pain is defined as pain that is associated with a rapid onset of varying intensity. It usually indicates tissue damage and resolves with healing of the injury. Examples include heart attack, fractures, and bronchopneumonia. Origin: Chapter 14, 3 The nurse is caring for a child who is recovering from an appendectomy. What is the appropriate term for the pain this child is experiencing? A) Nociceptive pain B) Neuropathic pain C) Chronic pain D) Superficial somatic pain - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: A Feedback: Nociceptive pain reflects pain due to noxious stimuli that damages normal tissues or has the potential to do so if the pain is prolonged. Nociceptive pain ranges from sharp or burning; to dull, aching, or cramping; to deep aching or sharp stabbing. Examples of conditions that result in nociceptive pain include chemical burns, sunburn, cuts, appendicitis, and bladder distention. Neuropathic pain is pain due to malfunctioning of the peripheral or central nervous system. Chronic pain is defined as pain that continues past the expected point of healing for injured tissue. Superficial somatic pain, often called cutaneous pain, involves stimulation of nociceptors in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, or mucous membranes. Origin: Chapter 14, 4 The nurse is conducting an assessment of a high school track athlete. The client tells the nurse he is experiencing pain along his outer thigh. He describes it as tight, achy, and tender, particularly after he runs. The nurse understands that he is most likely experiencing what kind of pain? A) Cutaneous B) Neuropathic C) Visceral D) Deep somatic - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: D Feedback: Deep somatic pain typically involves the muscles, tendons, joints, fasciae, and bones. It can be localized or diffuse and is usually described as dull, aching, or cramping with tenderness. It can also be due to overuse injuries commonly experienced by athletes. Cutaneous pain usually involves the skin and is described as sharp or burning. Neuropathic pain is due to a malfunctioning of the peripheral nervous system and is described as burning or tingling. Visceral pain is pain that develops within organs. Origin: Chapter 14, 5 The nurse is caring for a child who is experiencing pain related to chemotherapy treatment. What is a behavioral factor that might affect the child's pain experience? A) Knowledge of the therapy B) Fear about the outcome of therapy C) Participation in normal routine activities D) Ability to identify pain triggers - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: C Feedback: Participation in normal routine activities is a behavior factor. Knowledge of the therapy and ability to identify pain triggers are cognitive factors. Fear about the outcome of therapy is an emotional factor. Situational factors involve factors or elements that interact with the child and his or her current situation involving the experience of pain. Origin: Chapter 14, 6 The nurse caring for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) relies on the use of behavioral and physiologic indicators for determining pain. Which examples are behavioral indicators? Select all that apply. A) The infant grimaces. B) The infant's heart rate is elevated. C) The infant flails his arms and legs. D) The infant's respiratory rate is elevated. E) The infant is crying uncontrollably. F) The infant's oxygen saturation is low. - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: A, C, E Feedback: In preterm and term newborns, behavioral and physiologic indicators are used for determining pain. Behavioral indicators include facial expression, body movements, and crying. Physiologic indicators include changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels, vagal tone, palmar sweating, and plasma cortisol or catecholamine levels. Origin: Chapter 14, 7 A nurse is providing teaching to the mother of an adolescent girl about how to manage menstrual pain nonpharmacologically. Which statements by the mother indicates a need for further teaching? A) "I need to help her learn techniques to distract her; card games, for example." B) "I need to be able to identify the subtle ways she shows pain." C) "I need to follow these instructions exactly for them to work properly." D) "I need to encourage her to practice and utilize these techniques." - CORRECT ANSWER-Ans: C Feedback: The mother does not need to follow the instructions exactly; she needs to review the methods and modify them in a way that works best for her daughter. The other statements are correct. Origin: Chapter 14, 8 The nurse is counseling the parents of a 9-year-old boy who is receiving morphine for postoperative pain. Which statement from the nurse accurately reflects the pain experience in children? A) 'You can expect that your child will tell you when he is experiencing pain.' B) 'Your child will learn to adapt to the pain he is experiencing.' C) 'Your child will experience more adverse effects to narcotics than adults.'