The following questions about pain management are part of a longer survey on pain knowledge and attitudes (Ferrell & McCaffery, 1996). Find out how other clinicians responded by answering the questions and clicking on the "Submit Response" button. When you visit this site again, the results of our quiz (including your responses) will be posted.
Case Studies
For each patient you are asked to make decisions about pain and medication.
Patient A Andy is 25 years old and this is his second day following abdominal surgery. As you enter his room to check his vital signs, he smiles at you and continues talking and joking with his visitor. Your assessment yields the following information: B/P = 120/80; HR = 80; RR = 18; on a scale of 0 - 5 (0 = no pain/discomfort to 5 = worst pain/discomfort) Andy rates his pain as "4" at the surgical site.
1. On the patient's record you must mark his pain on the scale below. What represents your assessment of Andy's pain:
Worst pain/discomfort
Your assessment above, is made four hours after Andy received morphine 10 mg IM. During the three hours following the injection, Andy's pain ratings ranged from 3 to 4 and he had no clinically significant respiratory depression, sedation, or other untoward side effects. His physician's order for analgesia is "Morphine IM 5 to 15 mg Q 3 - 4 hours PRN pain relief."
2. Choose the action you will take at this time.
Administer no morphine at this time. Administer morphine 5 mg IM now. Administer morphine 10 mg IM now. Administer morphine 15 mg IM now.
Patient B Bob is 25 years old and this is his second day following abdominal surgery. As you enter his room to check his vital signs, he is lying quietly in bed and grimaces as he turns in bed. Your assessment yields the following information: B/P = 120/80; HR = 80; RR = 18; on a scale of 0 - 5 (0 = no pain/discomfort to 5 = worst pain/discomfort) Bob rates his pain as "4" at the surgical site.
3. On the patient's record you must mark his pain on the scale below. What represents your assessment of Bob's pain:
Your assessment above, is made four hours after Bob received morphine 10 mg IM. During the three hours following the injection, Bob's pain ratings ranged from 3 to 4 and he had no clinically significant respiratory depression, sedation, or other untoward side effects. His physician's order for analgesia is "Morphine IM 5 to 15 mg Q 3 - 4 hours PRN pain relief."
4. Choose the action you will take at this time.
5. Research shows that promethazine (Phenerganâ) is a reliable potentiator of opioid analgesics.
Thank you for participating in this survey. Press "Submit Response" to learn more about these issues in pain management.
Last Updated: April 18, 2000
