Two days after undergoing surgery for a ruptured appendix, the patient responds to the nurse in only short, clipped statements, becoming visibly frustrated and angry during a routine vital signs check. Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

“What is your pain level right now? Is the pain worse than it was yesterday?”. Following an abdominal surgery, the patient is likely to experience pain. An indication that a patient is experiencing pain is anger and irritability. Because pain is something that can be treated with proper intervention, the nurse first determines if the source of the patient’s anger and frustration is untreated pain. If the patient denies pain or the pain medication does not help the anger and frustration, the nurse can employ therapeutic conversation techniques to determine the source of the patient’s anger.

Two days after undergoing surgery for a ruptured appendix, the pa...

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Basic Care and Comfort
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Category: Basic Care and Comfort
Difficulty: 10

Topics: Communication & Documentation Gastrointestinal

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