Nurse in Psychiatry Test Bank Related

Review Nurse in Psychiatry Test Bank related questions and content

A new nurse asks, “My elderly patient has Lewy body disease. What should I do about assessing for pain?” Select the best response from the nurse manager.

  • A. Ask the patient’s family if they think the patient is experiencing pain.
  • B. Use a visual analog scale to help the patient determine the presence and severity of pain.
  • C. There are special scales for assessing patients with dementia. Let’s review how to use them.
  • D. The perception of pain is diminished by this type of dementia. Focus your assessment on the patient’s mental status.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because Lewy body disease can affect a patient's ability to communicate pain, making specialized pain assessment tools crucial. Special scales designed for patients with dementia can help in accurately assessing pain levels. These tools consider non-verbal cues and behavioral changes that may indicate pain. Asking the patient's family (A) may not always provide an accurate assessment of pain perception. Using a visual analog scale (B) may be challenging for a patient with cognitive impairment. Focusing solely on mental status (D) may overlook important indicators of pain in patients with Lewy body disease.