Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 89%
Simulated
A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following a fracture repair. The client reports pain at the surgical site. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
The correct action is D: Assess the pain's characteristics. First, the nurse needs to assess the pain to determine its intensity, location, quality, and aggravating or alleviating factors. This information will guide further interventions. Administering analgesics (A) without assessing the pain may not address the underlying cause. Elevating the limb (B) or applying ice (C) can be appropriate interventions but should come after assessing the pain. In summary, assessing the pain's characteristics is crucial to providing effective and individualized pain management.