Posted: July 10th, 2017

Mrs. Bagapayo who had abdominal surgery 3 days earlier complains of sharp, throbbing abdominal pain that ranks 8 on a scale of 1 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

Mrs. Bagapayo who had abdominal surgery 3 days earlier complains of sharp, throbbing abdominal pain that ranks 8 on a scale of 1 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). Which intervention should the nurse implement first?

A. Assessing the client to rule out possible complications secondary to surgery
B. Checking the client’s chart to determine when pain medication was last administered
C. Explaining to the client that the pain should not be this severe 3 days postoperatively
D. Obtaining an order for a stronger pain medication because the client’s pain has increased