Question

Which of these interventions, to be included in the plan of care, is appropriate for the patient outcome that states, "The patient will verbalize a pain level at 3 or below on a 0 to 10 scale throughout this shift."?

a. Medicate the patient immediately after all procedures.
b. Discuss only nonpharmacological methods of pain relief.
c. Teach the patient about side effects of pain medications.
d. Medicate the patient based on previous shift assessment findings.

Answer 1

The best intervention for maintaining a pain level at or below 3 out of 10 is option d: medicating the patient based on previous shift assessment findings. This option allows for tailored pain management that is proactive and based on the patient's individual pain response history.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate intervention to be included in the plan of care for the patient outcome stating, "The patient will verbalize a pain level at 3 or below on a 0 to 10 scale throughout this shift," is to medicate the patient based on previous shift assessment findings (option d). This intervention takes into account the patient's recent history and response to pain medication, allowing for more tailored and effective pain management. It aligns with the goal of maintaining the pain at a manageable level rather than waiting until after a procedure, when pain might spike, or focusing solely on non-pharmacological methods which may not be sufficient on their own. It is also important to teach the patient about side effects of pain medications as part of ongoing patient education, but this alone does not directly achieve the immediate goal of maintaining a pain level at or below 3. Therefore, option d, medicating based on previous assessments, is the most direct action to achieve the desired patient outcome.