N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice

N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice Study Guide • Teach principles of pain management. • Consider the type and source of pain when selecting a pain relief strategy. • Encourage the patient to monitor his or her own pain and to intervene appropriately. • Explore the patient’s current use of pharmacological methods of pain relief. • Teach about pharmacological methods of pain relief. • Encourage the patient to use adequate pain medication. • Implement the use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), if appropriate. • Use pain control measures before pain becomes severe. • Observe for nonverbal cues of discomfort, especially in those unable to communicate effectively. • Assist the patient and family to seek and obtain support. • Determine the needed frequency for assessment of patient comfort and implement a monitoring plan. • Control environmental factors that may influence the patient’s response to discomfort (room temperature, lighting, and noise). Implementation As interventions are implemented, the nurse must constantly reassess the individual and family to ensure that the interventions are producing the desired outcomes. Ensured safety of the individual must be the first intervention, and the nurse must make sure that the family understands modifications that must be implemented and changes that should be reported. The nurse may help the family obtain needed financial and other social support, including support groups that might help the individual and family learn to cope with the chronic pain. The nurse will also supervise any patient care activity delegated to other healthcare team members. Evaluation The nurse caring for any individual must continually reassess the patient and family to determine the effectiveness of interventions. The responses must be documented and sharedwith other healthcare team members as appropriate. If the intervention was effective, it shouldbe continued and expanded as appropriate. Ineffective interventions should be altered or replaced in collaboration with the individual, family, or community. If care has been assigned to others, the nurse must be responsible for evaluating the care and effectiveness of interventions delivered by others.

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