Question

You are responsible for providing care to Mr. Jones, a 58-year-old salesman who was admitted to the surgical unit for a left total knee replacement surgery. Mr. Jones is 12 hours post-op. During shift report, the assigned nurse shares the following information with you:

• Pain rating of an 8 of 10 during initial assessment
• Prescribed pain medication (morphine) administered per order
• Post-medication administration assessment revealed pain rated at 5 of 10.
Patient was restless most of the overnight. You enter Mr. Jones' room to complete a shift assessment. Which is your priority action?
A. Palpating a radial pulse
B. Monitoring blood pressure
C. Conducting a pain assessment
D. Inspecting the surgical incision

Answer 1

Conducting a pain assessment is the priority action after entering Mr. Jones' room as managing pain post-surgery is essential for recovery and can influence patient comfort and the healing process.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your priority action after entering Mr. Jones’ room should be to conduct a pain assessment. High pain levels can interfere with patient recovery and increase the likelihood of complications. Since he has recently undergone total knee replacement surgery and was previously reported to have a high level of pain (8 out of 10), reassessing his current pain level is critical to managing his pain effectively and ensuring patient comfort. It's important to remember that effective pain management is a central component of postoperative care. Monitoring blood pressure and inspecting the surgical incision are also important, but these can be performed after the pain assessment, particularly since he was restless and the previous pain medication only reduced the pain to a moderate level.

During the postoperative period, managing and assessing pain is crucial, especially since it can affect a patient's mobility, healing process, and psychological well-being. If his pain is not adequately controlled, this restlessness can lead to complications such as increased risk of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), poor wound healing, and delayed recovery. Adequate pain management can facilitate rehabilitation exercises, decrease the risk of complications, and improve overall outcomes. If necessary, consult with the healthcare team for additional pain control interventions. Following the pain assessment, ensure to palpate the radial pulse, monitor blood pressure, and inspect the surgical incision as part of a comprehensive physical assessment.