Chapter 11: Pain Assessment
Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 8th Edition by
Carolyn Jarvis
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When evaluating a patients pain, thenurse knows that an example of acute pain would be:
a. Arthriticpain.
b. Fibromyalgia.
c. Kidney stones.
d. Low back pain.
ANS: C
Acute pain is short-term and dissipates after an injury heals, such as with kidney
stones. theother conditions are examples of chronic pain during which thepain
continues for 6 months or longer and does not stop when theinjury heals.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
2. Which statement indicates that thenurse understands thepain experienced by an older
adult?
a. Older adults must learn to tolerate pain.
b. Pain is a normal process of aging and is to be expected.
c. Pain indicates a pathologic condition or an injury and is not a normal process of
aging.
d. Older individuals perceive pain to a lesser degree than do younger individuals.
ANS: C
Pain indicates a pathologic condition or an injury and should never be considered
something that an older adult should expect or tolerate. Pain is not a normal
process of aging, and no evidence suggests that pain perception is reduced with
aging.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
3. A 4-year-old boy is brought to theemergency department by his mother. She says he
points to his stomach and says, It hurts so bad. Which pain assessment tool would be
thebest choice when assessing this childs pain?
a. Descriptor Scale
b. Numeric rating scale
c. Brief Pain Inventory
, d. Faces Pain ScaleRevised (FPS-R)
ANS: D
Rating scales can be introduced at theage of 4 or 5 years. theFPS-R is designed for
use by children and asks thechild to choose a face that shows how much hurt (or
pain) you have now. Young children should not be asked to rate pain by using
numbers.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
4. A patient states that thepain medication is not working and rates his postoperative pain at
a 10 on a 1-to-10 scale. Which of these assessment findings indicates an acute pain
response to poorly controlled pain?
a. Confusion
b. Hyperventilation
c. Increased blood pressure and pulse
d. Depression
ANS: C
Responses to poorly controlled acute pain include tachycardia, elevated blood
pressure, and hypoventilation. Confusion and depression are associated with
poorly controlled chronicpain.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
5. A 60-year-old woman has developed reflexive sympathetic dystrophy after arthroscopic
repair of her shoulder. A key feature of this condition is that the:
a. Affected extremity will eventually regain its function.
b. Pain is felt at one site but originates from another location.
c. Patients pain will be associated with nausea, pallor, and diaphoresis.
d. Slightest touch, such as a sleeve brushing against her arm, causes severe and
intense pain.
ANS: D
A key feature of reflexive sympathetic dystrophy is that a typically innocuous
stimulus can create a severe, intensely painful response. theaffected extremity
becomes less functional over time.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
6. The nurse is assessing a patients pain. thenurse knows that themost reliable indicator of
pain would be the:
a. Patients vital signs.
b. Physical examination.
Physical Examination and Health Assessment, 8th Edition by
Carolyn Jarvis
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When evaluating a patients pain, thenurse knows that an example of acute pain would be:
a. Arthriticpain.
b. Fibromyalgia.
c. Kidney stones.
d. Low back pain.
ANS: C
Acute pain is short-term and dissipates after an injury heals, such as with kidney
stones. theother conditions are examples of chronic pain during which thepain
continues for 6 months or longer and does not stop when theinjury heals.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
2. Which statement indicates that thenurse understands thepain experienced by an older
adult?
a. Older adults must learn to tolerate pain.
b. Pain is a normal process of aging and is to be expected.
c. Pain indicates a pathologic condition or an injury and is not a normal process of
aging.
d. Older individuals perceive pain to a lesser degree than do younger individuals.
ANS: C
Pain indicates a pathologic condition or an injury and should never be considered
something that an older adult should expect or tolerate. Pain is not a normal
process of aging, and no evidence suggests that pain perception is reduced with
aging.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
3. A 4-year-old boy is brought to theemergency department by his mother. She says he
points to his stomach and says, It hurts so bad. Which pain assessment tool would be
thebest choice when assessing this childs pain?
a. Descriptor Scale
b. Numeric rating scale
c. Brief Pain Inventory
, d. Faces Pain ScaleRevised (FPS-R)
ANS: D
Rating scales can be introduced at theage of 4 or 5 years. theFPS-R is designed for
use by children and asks thechild to choose a face that shows how much hurt (or
pain) you have now. Young children should not be asked to rate pain by using
numbers.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
4. A patient states that thepain medication is not working and rates his postoperative pain at
a 10 on a 1-to-10 scale. Which of these assessment findings indicates an acute pain
response to poorly controlled pain?
a. Confusion
b. Hyperventilation
c. Increased blood pressure and pulse
d. Depression
ANS: C
Responses to poorly controlled acute pain include tachycardia, elevated blood
pressure, and hypoventilation. Confusion and depression are associated with
poorly controlled chronicpain.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyzing (Analysis)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
5. A 60-year-old woman has developed reflexive sympathetic dystrophy after arthroscopic
repair of her shoulder. A key feature of this condition is that the:
a. Affected extremity will eventually regain its function.
b. Pain is felt at one site but originates from another location.
c. Patients pain will be associated with nausea, pallor, and diaphoresis.
d. Slightest touch, such as a sleeve brushing against her arm, causes severe and
intense pain.
ANS: D
A key feature of reflexive sympathetic dystrophy is that a typically innocuous
stimulus can create a severe, intensely painful response. theaffected extremity
becomes less functional over time.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
MSC: Client Needs: Physiologic Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort
6. The nurse is assessing a patients pain. thenurse knows that themost reliable indicator of
pain would be the:
a. Patients vital signs.
b. Physical examination.
