Critical Care Nursing Cardiac Questions Related

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A patient with terminal cancer reports a sudden onset of severe pain. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

  • A. Assess the patient’s pain using a standardized pain scale.
  • B. Administer a PRN dose of prescribed analgesic.
  • C. Notify the healthcare provider about the patient’s pain.
  • D. Reposition the patient to enhance comfort.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Assess the patient’s pain using a standardized pain scale. The first step is to assess the severity and nature of the pain to determine the appropriate intervention. This allows the nurse to understand the pain intensity and characteristics, which guides the choice of analgesic and dosing. Administering analgesics (B) without proper assessment can lead to inappropriate treatment. Notifying the healthcare provider (C) is important but assessing the pain should come first. Repositioning the patient (D) may provide comfort but addressing the pain directly is the priority.