ATI RN
ATI Client Comfort and End of Life Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
When assessing a client's pain level, the nurse would be most likely to rely on which method?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse most relies on the client's self-report to assess pain level, as pain is subjectiveonly the client can describe its intensity, location, and quality (e.g., via a 0-10 scale). This gold-standard method respects individual perception, guiding precise care. Choice A, previous medical record, offers context (e.g., chronic conditions) but can't capture current pain, which varies. Choice B, facial expression, helps in nonverbal clients (e.g., grimacing), but it's secondaryself-report trumps observation when possible. Choice D, nurse's past experience, informs judgment but isn't client-specific; assuming pain based on others risks error. Choice C is correct, aligning with nursing's patient-centered ethosself-report ensures accuracy, empowering clients to communicate their experience, which nurses validate and act upon with tailored interventions like medication or positioning.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is caring for a client who reports relief of pain after taking a placebo during a research study. The nurse would chart this response as being caused by which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse would chart relief from a placebo as caused by psychological factors, as placeboslacking active ingredientsrelieve pain via the client's belief or expectation, triggering endorphin release in the brain. This placebo effect highlights pain's subjective, mind-influenced nature. Choice A, lack of real pain, dismisses the client's experiencepain existed, but perception shifted psychologically, not because it was fake. Choice C, poor study design, is irrelevant; relief reflects a known phenomenon, not a flaw, unless the study's ethics are questioned, which isn't implied. Choice D, ineffective medication, contradicts placebo definitionno medication is involved, just an inert substance. Choice B is correct, aligning with clinical understandingnurses document this accurately to inform care, noting psychological relief can complement treatment, though placebos aren't routine practice due to ethical concerns, emphasizing pain's complex interplay of body and mind.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who reports pain in the left leg. Which finding would suggest the pain is neuropathic rather than somatic?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A burning sensation suggests neuropathic pain, as it reflects nerve damage or dysfunction (e.g., from diabetes), producing sensations like burning, tingling, or shooting pain, distinct from somatic pain's mechanical origin. Somatic pain (e.g., fractures) is musculoskeletal, not neural. Choice A, dull ache, aligns with somatic pain (e.g., arthritis), not neuropathy's sharp or electric quality. Choice C, localized swelling, indicates somatic injury or inflammation, not nerve-based pain, which lacks physical signs. Choice D, muscle stiffness, ties to somatic issues (e.g., tension), not neuropathic hallmarks. Choice B is correct, guiding nurses to differentiate pain typeneuropathic burning prompts adjuvants (e.g., gabapentin) versus somatic's analgesics, ensuring precise treatment based on the leg pain's neural etiology.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who reports pain relief after taking an opioid analgesic. What would the nurse assess next?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse would assess the level of sedation next, as opioids commonly cause drowsiness by depressing the central nervous systema key side effect impacting safety (e.g., falls) and dosing adjustments. Post-relief monitoring prioritizes this. Choice B, blood pressure, may drop with opioids, but sedation's immediacy and frequency make it more urgent to check. Choice C, appetite, isn't a primary concernnausea, not hunger, is more typical. Choice D, range of motion, improves with pain relief but isn't a side effect to assess; it's secondary. Choice A is correct, reflecting nursing vigilanceassessing sedation (e.g., drowsiness scale) ensures the opioid's benefit (pain relief) doesn't compromise safety, guiding interventions like timing or dose tweaks.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse is assessing a client who reports pain relief after taking an NSAID. What would the nurse assess next?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse would assess gastrointestinal discomfort next, as NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen) commonly cause stomach irritation or ulcers by inhibiting prostaglandins that protect the gastric lininga frequent side effect needing monitoring post-relief. Choice A, respiratory rate, is key with opioids, not NSAIDs, which rarely affect breathing. Choice C, level of sedation, suits CNS depressants (e.g., narcotics), not NSAIDs, which don't typically drowsy. Choice D, blood pressure, may shift slightly with NSAIDs (e.g., fluid retention), but GI issues are more immediate and common. Choice B is correct, reflecting nursing vigilanceassessing for nausea, pain, or bleeding ensures NSAID benefits (pain relief) don't mask GI risks, prompting interventions like food intake or antacids to protect the stomach.