ATI RN
Client Comfort and End of Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse assesses a client and determines the pain to be chronic. What led to this conclusion?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse concludes the pain is chronic because it lasts longer than 6 months, a defining criterion distinguishing it from acute pain, which resolves quicker. Chronic pain persists beyond healing, often without clear cause, impacting life long-term. Choice A, sudden onset, suggests acute pain, tied to abrupt events like trauma, not chronic's gradual or sustained nature. Choice C, association with a specific injury, fits acute pain initially; chronic pain may start there but lingers beyond recovery. Choice D, immediate relief with medication, aligns with acute pain's responsivenesschronic pain often resists full relief. Choice B is correct, reflecting clinical standards nurses use to classify pain, prompting strategies like multimodal therapy or coping support, distinct from acute pain's short-term fixes.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse would expect which client to be the best candidate for a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse expects a client with chronic back pain to be the best candidate for a TENS unit, as it's most effective for localized, chronic musculoskeletal pain, like back issues, by stimulating nerves to block pain signals and release endorphins. It's less invasive and suits long-term management. Choice A, acute postoperative pain, may benefit briefly, but TENS isn't primaryopioids or PCA dominate early post-op. Choice C, a fractured leg, involves acute pain; TENS could help, but immobilization and analgesics are standard initially. Choice D, abdominal pain, is less idealvisceral pain responds poorly to TENS, needing systemic treatment. Choice B is correct, reflecting TENS' evidence-based use in chronic conditions, guiding nurses to apply it for back pain relief, adjusting settings for comfort, and monitoring efficacy in outpatient or home settings.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse would expect a client with neuropathic pain to report which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse expects a burning sensation in neuropathic pain, as it arises from nerve damage (e.g., diabetes, shingles), producing distinct sensationsburning, tingling, or shootingunlike somatic pain's mechanical feel. This reflects altered nerve signaling. Choice A, dull ache, suits somatic pain (e.g., arthritis), not neuropathy's sharp, electric quality. Choice C, muscle spasms, may accompany somatic issues (e.g., injury), but neuropathic pain is sensory, not motor. Choice D, localized swelling, indicates somatic inflammation (e.g., sprains), not nerve-based pain, which lacks physical signs. Choice B is correct, guiding nurses to recognize neuropathic hallmarksburning prompts adjuvants like gabapentin over standard analgesics, ensuring treatment matches the pain's neural origin, distinct from musculoskeletal complaints.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client who reports chronic pain that is not relieved by medication. What would the nurse do next?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse would assess for other pain relief methods when chronic pain persists despite medication, as unrelieved pain may need multimodal approachesnonpharmacological (e.g., heat, TENS) or adjuvants (e.g., gabapentin)tailored to pain type or tolerance. Assessment explores alternatives. Choice A, telling the client to try harder, is dismissive and unhelpfuleffort doesn't overcome ineffective treatment. Choice C, administering a placebo, is unethical and delays real care; it's not a clinical solution. Choice D, suggesting to ignore the pain, neglects the client's sufferingchronic pain demands action, not avoidance. Choice B is correct, reflecting nursing's proactive stanceassessing pain characteristics (e.g., neuropathic) or barriers (e.g., dose limits) ensures comprehensive management, potentially adding therapies to enhance relief, addressing the complexity of chronic pain beyond single-drug failure.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who reports pain in the right arm. Which finding would suggest the pain is somatic rather than neuropathic?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A dull ache suggests somatic pain, as it arises from musculoskeletal tissues (e.g., muscles, bones) due to injury or strain, producing a localized, aching qualityunlike neuropathic pain's neural quirks. Choice A, burning sensation, fits neuropathy (e.g., nerve damage), not somatic's mechanical feel. Choice B, tingling, also indicates neuropathy (e.g., pinched nerve), not somatic's deeper pain. Choice D, numbness, reflects nerve dysfunction, not painsomatic pain is felt, not absent. Choice C is correct, guiding nurses to identify somatic paine.g., from arm strainprompting treatments like rest or NSAIDs, distinct from neuropathic options, ensuring accurate care based on the pain's tissue origin.