Question

A 5-year-old arrives at the emergency department and reports abdominal pain. After performing an assessment and laboratory work, the physician diagnoses appendicitis. The nurse knows that this child is experiencing which type of pain?

Option 1:
a) Chronic pain

Option 2:
b) Acute pain

Option 3:
c) Neuropathic pain

Option 4:
d) Psychogenic pain

Answer 1

The child diagnosed with appendicitis in the emergency department is experiencing acute pain, which is sudden and severe, distinguishing it from chronic, neuropathic, or psychogenic pain.

Step-by-step explanation:

The child who presented to the emergency department with reported abdominal pain and was diagnosed with appendicitis is experiencing acute pain. Appendicitis is a condition where the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus, causing pain. The pain associated with appendicitis is sudden in onset and can increase in severity, making it an example of acute pain rather than chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain that persists over a longer period of time and is not typically associated with the immediate and severe presentation of appendicitis. Neuropathic pain results from nerve damage, and psychogenic pain is related to psychological factors, neither of which are indicative of appendicitis.