Question

A nurse is documenting the intensity of a client's pain. What would be the most accurate entry?

1) "Client complaining of severe pain."
2) "Client appears to be in a lot of pain and is crying."
3) "Client states has pain; walking in hall with ease."
4) "Client states pain is a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10."

Answer 1

The most accurate entry for documenting the intensity of a client's pain would be Client states pain is a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10." Therefore, the correct option is 4.

Step-by-step explanation:

This entry facilitates more precise communication between healthcare providers by offering a quantitative and specific assessment of pain severity. When assessing pain, using a scale like the numeric rating scale (NRS) from 1 to 10 improves objectivity and uniformity.

Subjective phrases like "severe" and "a lot of pain," which are understood differently by various people, are used in Options 1 and 2. Option 3 is less accurate because it only indicates the client strolling down the corridor without giving a specific number. In medical contexts, numerical pain ratings provide a standardised way to evaluate and treat pain levels.

Therefore, the correct option is 4.