A nurse is caring for an adult client with cancer who is complaining of acute pain.

A nurse is caring for an adult client with cancer who is complaining of acute pain.

The MOST appropriate pain assessment would be:
A . The client’s pain rating
B . Nonverbal cues from the client
C . The nurses’ impression of the client’s pain
D . Pain relief after appropriate nursing intervention

View Answer

Answer: A

Explanation:

The most appropriate way to assess pain is by asking the client to rate their pain. Pain is a subjective experience, meaning only the person experiencing it can accurately describe its intensity and quality. This is often done using a numerical scale (0-10) where the patient rates their pain, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable.

Nonverbal cues and the nurse’s impression can provide additional information, but they are not as reliable as the patient’s self-report. Pain relief after interventions helps evaluate the effectiveness of the pain management but does not assess the initial pain level.

Reference: McCaffery, M., & Pasero, C. (1999). Pain: Clinical Manual. Mosby.