Question

A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a school-age child who has appendicitis and rates their abdominal pain as 7 on a scale of 0 to 10. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

a) Administering an analgesic as ordered
b) Providing a heating pad for comfort
c) Allowing the child to choose their position
d) Encouraging deep breathing exercises

Answer 1

To manage the pain for a child with suspected appendicitis, a nurse should administer analgesics as prescribed and allow for comfortable positioning, avoiding heat application and deep breathing exercises. Option a is the answer

Step-by-step explanation:

Upon caring for a school-age child who rates abdominal pain as 7 out of 10 due to appendicitis, the nurse should take several actions to manage the child's discomfort efficiently. Firstly, it is essential to administer analgesia as per doctor's orders, which is usually the priority in managing acute pain. Secondly, allowing the child to choose a comfortable position can help reduce their discomfort; however, deep breathing exercises or application of heat are not generally recommended in cases of suspected appendicitis, as these actions could exacerbate the condition or mask important symptoms needed for diagnosis.