Question

A patient complains of pain during a dressing change. What would be the most effective intervention the nurse could initiate at the next dressing change in order to reduce the patient's pain?

A. Premedicate the patient with a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before the intervention.
B. Use a distraction technique to divert the patient's attention during the procedure.
C. Position the patient comfortably before the intervention.
D. Thoroughly explain the procedure to the patient.

Answer 1

Premedicating the patient with a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before the procedure is likely the most effective intervention for reducing pain during a dressing change. Other interventions like distraction and positioning may help, but they are not as effective as medication for pain control.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient complains of pain during dressing changes which indicates that interventions to reduce pain should be considered. The most effective intervention could be to premedicate the patient with a prescribed analgesic 30 minutes before the procedure. This is because providing pain relief before starting a potentially uncomfortable procedure can prevent the pain from occurring in the first place or reduce its severity. Although using distraction techniques and positioning the patient comfortably can contribute to pain reduction, they may not be as effective as medication for controlling pain. Explaining the procedure to the patient may help ease anxiety but does not have a direct effect on pain control. Hence, medication as a preemptive measure is advisable for pain management.