LPN LPN Pain Management and Comfort Measures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale is primarily designed for which patient population?
- Elderly patients with dementia
- Children and patients who have difficulty with numeric scales (Correct answer)
- Critically ill ventilated patients
- Postoperative patients in the PACU
Correct answer: Children and patients who have difficulty with numeric scales
The Wong-Baker FACES scale uses facial expression images and is validated for children ages 3 and older and adults who struggle with numeric or verbal scales.
Question 2: When documenting a patient's pain assessment, what information must the nurse include?
- Only the numeric pain rating
- Location, intensity, quality, timing, and response to interventions (Correct answer)
- The patient's pain tolerance level
- The nurse's subjective opinion of the patient's pain
Correct answer: Location, intensity, quality, timing, and response to interventions
A complete pain assessment documents location, intensity, quality, timing, aggravating/relieving factors, and the patient's response to pain interventions.
Question 3: Which medication is classified as a non-opioid analgesic commonly used for mild to moderate pain?
- Morphine sulfate
- Oxycodone
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) (Correct answer)
- Hydromorphone
Correct answer: Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Acetaminophen is a non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic that works centrally and is first-line for mild to moderate pain without opioid side effects.
Question 4: A patient receiving IV morphine has a respiratory rate of 8 breaths per minute. What is the nurse's first action?
- Document the finding and continue monitoring
- Administer naloxone (Narcan) per standing order and notify the RN (Correct answer)
- Increase the IV infusion rate
- Place the patient in prone position
Correct answer: Administer naloxone (Narcan) per standing order and notify the RN
A respiratory rate below 12/min in a patient on opioids indicates respiratory depression; naloxone (opioid reversal agent) should be administered and the RN notified immediately.
Question 5: Which nursing intervention best helps reduce pain and anxiety during a painful dressing change?
- Performing the procedure as quickly as possible without explanation
- Administering PRN analgesic 30 minutes before the procedure (Correct answer)
- Dimming the lights and playing music
- Applying restraints to prevent patient movement
Correct answer: Administering PRN analgesic 30 minutes before the procedure
Premedication with an analgesic 30 minutes before a painful procedure ensures peak medication effect and significantly reduces procedural pain.
Question 6: A patient refuses pain medication despite rating pain at 7/10. What is the appropriate nursing action?
- Administer the medication without the patient's consent
- Document the refusal, explore the patient's concerns, and notify the RN (Correct answer)
- Ignore the refusal and document only the pain rating
- Discharge the patient for noncompliance
Correct answer: Document the refusal, explore the patient's concerns, and notify the RN
Patients have the right to refuse treatment; the nurse must document the refusal, explore the reasons, provide education, and notify the RN of the patient's pain and refusal.
LPN LPN Pain Management and Comfort Measures 2
The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale is primarily designed for which patient population?