Test Bank for Medical Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Interprofessional Collaborative Care 10th Edition - Assessment and Care of Patients with Pain Related

Review Test Bank for Medical Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Interprofessional Collaborative Care 10th Edition - Assessment and Care of Patients with Pain related questions and content

A nurse is caring for a client on an epidural patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. What action by the nurse is most important to ensure client safety?

  • A. Assess and record the client every hour
  • B. Have another nurse double-check the PCA pump settings
  • C. Instruct the client to report any unrelieved pain
  • D. Monitor for numbness and tingling in the legs
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Epidural analgesia poses risks, and pump settings must be accurate to prevent overdose or underdose. Having another nurse double-check the settings is critical for safety. Frequent assessments, reporting unrelieved pain, and monitoring for numbness are important but secondary to ensuring correct pump settings.