A female client with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) comes to the clinic reporting joint pain and swelling. She has been taking prednisone and ibuprofen every day. To assist with self-management of her pain, which information should the nurse obtain?

The client is reporting a problem with pain and swelling. To assist with self-management, the nurse needs to assess the client's current non-pharmacological strategies. Therapeutic exercise is a cornerstone of managing RA to maintain joint function and reduce pain. Assessing this provides a direct pathway to coaching the client on effective self-management techniques. While assessing for medication side effects like GI discomfort from ibuprofen (A) or bruising/weakness from prednisone (B) is important for safety, it does not directly address the client's stated problem of pain self-management. Dietary protein intake (D) is less directly related to immediate pain control strategies.