ATI RN
Client Comfort and End of Life Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
Which of the following best promotes rest in patients?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A quiet, dark environment best promotes rest in patients by minimizing sensory stimulation, allowing the body and mind to relax and enter a restorative state. Darkness supports melatonin production, aiding sleep, while quietness reduces arousal, key for those with sleep-rest disorders or fatigue. Choice A, bright lighting, disrupts rest by suppressing melatonin and signaling wakefulness, often used to keep patients alert, not relaxed. Choice C, frequent interruptions, fragments rest, preventing deep sleep or recovery, a common issue in busy hospital settings. Choice D, high noise levels, stimulates the nervous system, increasing stress and hindering rest, especially for sensitive patients. Choice B is the optimal answer, reflecting evidence-based nursing practices that create a conducive rest environment, essential for healing and comfort across various conditions.
Question 2 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 3 of 5
The nurse is assessing the pain of a client who has had abdominal surgery and finds the client laughing with visitors. How would the nurse proceed?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse would ask the client to rate the pain, as laughter with visitors doesn't reliably indicate pain absenceclients may mask discomfort socially or feel temporary relief, but post-abdominal surgery pain is expected. Self-report remains the gold standard. Choice A, assuming no pain, risks undertreatmentlaughter isn't a clinical sign; pain can surge later. Choice B, giving medication anyway, could overtreat without evidence, risking side effects like sedation in a seemingly coping client. Choice D, charting comfort, is premature and inaccurate without confirmationobjective observation alone doesn't suffice. Choice C is correct, ensuring accuracy via a scale (e.g., 0-10), respecting the client's subjective experience, and guiding appropriate post-op care, like PRN analgesics, to prevent suffering despite outward appearances.
Question 4 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 5 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.