Question

Which of the following would be the most appropriate outcome criterion for the goal, Client's pain will be managed to within an acceptable level within 30 minutes of receiving pain medication.

1. Client will deny presence of any pain or discomfort.
2. Client will rate pain at a level of 3 or less out of a possible 10.
3. Client will demonstrate ability to request pain medication as needed.
4. Client will identify two external factors that decrease presence of pain.

Answer 1

The most appropriate outcome criterion for the goal of managing pain within 30 minutes of medication is the client rating their pain at a level of 3 or less on a pain scale.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate outcome criterion for the goal 'Client's pain will be managed to within an acceptable level within 30 minutes of receiving pain medication' is option number 2: Client will rate pain at a level of 3 or less out of a possible 10. This option correlates directly with the established goal of managing pain to an acceptable level and uses a quantifiable measure.

The Mosby pain rating scale and similar tools help healthcare providers to assess pain levels in a way that's standardized and somewhat objective, mitigating the subjectivity of pain. The criterion that the client will rate their pain at a level of 3 or less provides a specific, measurable target that indicates effective pain management and reflects an improvement from a pre-medication pain score. In contrast, options 1, 3, and 4 do not directly measure the effectiveness of the pain medication within the specified timeframe.