ATI RN
Client Comfort and End of Life Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
A client with chronic pain reports difficulty sleeping. What would be the nurse's initial action?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse's initial action is to assess the client's pain level, as chronic pain likely disrupts sleep via discomfort or stress, and understanding its intensity or pattern guides intervention. Assessment (e.g., 0-10 scale) identifies if pain control needs adjustment before adding sleep aids. Choice A, administering a sedative, risks masking pain or causing side effects without addressing the rootpain relief may suffice alone. Choice C, encouraging a warm bath, is a valid nonpharmacological option but premature without knowing pain's role; it might not help severe pain. Choice D, telling the client to relax, dismisses the issuerelaxation is hard with unmanaged pain. Choice B is correct, prioritizing assessment, a nursing fundamental, to pinpoint pain's impact on sleep, enabling targeted solutions like adjusting analgesics or adding sleep strategies, improving rest and overall well-being.
Question 2 of 5
A client asks the nurse why pain medication doesn't take all the pain away. What would be the basis of the nurse's response?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The basis of the nurse's response is that medication has limits, as pain relief depends on drug type, dose, and pain mechanismanalgesics reduce, not eliminate, pain, especially chronic or neuropathic types resistant to full blockade. Receptors may saturate, or pain pathways (e.g., inflammation) persist beyond medication reach. Choice A, pain is too severe, is partialseverity matters, but limits apply regardless; even mild pain may linger. Choice C, client is too active, might worsen pain but isn't why medication falls shortrested clients still report residual pain. Choice D, pain is not real, invalidates the clientpain's subjectivity doesn't negate its existence. Choice B is correct, enabling nurses to educate on realistic expectations, pairing drugs with adjuncts (e.g., heat) to maximize relief, addressing why total eradication isn't always achievable in pain management.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client who reports no pain relief after taking a newly prescribed analgesic. What would the nurse do first?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse would first assess the client's pain further when a newly prescribed analgesic fails, as lack of relief could stem from wrong dose, pain type (e.g., neuropathic vs. somatic), or timing issues. Detailed assessment (e.g., intensity, quality) pinpoints why it's ineffective, guiding next steps. Choice A, administering a different analgesic, risks error without dataswapping blindly may not address the cause. Choice C, telling the client to wait, delays care; if relief hasn't started within expected onset (e.g., 30-60 minutes for oral), waiting won't help. Choice D, reporting to the physician, may follow, but nurses assess first to provide informed input. Choice B is correct, reflecting nursing's systematic approachreassessing ensures accurate diagnosis (e.g., breakthrough pain) and tailored action, like adjusting dose or type, preventing prolonged suffering and optimizing the new prescription's impact.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client who reports pain relief after a nerve block. What does the nurse understand about this procedure?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse understands that a nerve block blocks nerve impulses, as it injects anesthetic (e.g., lidocaine) near nerves, halting pain signal transmission to the braineffective for localized pain (e.g., post-op, chronic). This is its core mechanism. Choice A, numbs the skin, is partialtopical numbing differs; blocks target deeper nerves. Choice C, reduces inflammation, isn't primarysteroids might, but nerve blocks focus on signal interruption, not swelling. Choice D, increases blood flow, is falseblocks don't alter circulation; relief is neural. Choice B is correct, informing nursing carenurses monitor block duration (hours) and sensation return, ensuring pain control and safety (e.g., no injury to numb areas), distinct from systemic analgesics.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client who reports pain relief after acupuncture. What does the nurse understand about this response?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse understands that acupuncture relieves pain by releasing endorphins, as needle stimulation triggers the nervous system to release these natural painkillers, modulating pain perceptiona key mechanism in its efficacy for chronic pain. Choice A, blocks nerve impulses, is partialnerve signaling shifts, but endorphin release is primary, not direct blockade like anesthetics. Choice B, reduces inflammation, isn't central; some blood flow effects occur, but pain relief ties to neurochemicals. Choice D, increases blood flow, contributes but isn't the main driverendorphins dominate. Choice C is correct, informing nursing carenurses recognize acupuncture's holistic benefit, supporting its use as an adjunct, monitoring relief duration, and integrating it with other therapies for sustained comfort.