237 Midterm to Final Study Cards Flashcards
(24 cards)
Define pain.
vAn unpleasant sensory and emotional experience with actual or potential tissue damagev
What is the most common reason for seeking health care?
Pain
Common disorder marked by backflow of gastric or duodenal contents into the esophagus that causes troublesome symptoms and/or mucosal injury to the esophagus.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
What other conditions do patients with GERD often have?
- IBS
- Obstructive airway disorders (asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis)
- Barrett’s Esophagus
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Angina
Why might GERD occur?
- incompetent lower esophageal sphincter
- pyloric stenosis
- hiatal hernia
- motility disorder
What is GERD associated with?
- tobacco use
- coffee drinking
- alcohol consumption
- H. pylori infection
What is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease in Canada?
atherosclerosis
What is atherosclerosis?
An abnormal accumulation of lipid, or fatty, substances and fibrous tissue in the lining of arterial blood vessel walls.
Define dysrhythmias.
Disorders of the formation or conduction (or both) of the electrical impulses within the heart
What three things can dysrhythmias cause disturbances of?
- Rate
- Rhythm
- Both rate and rhythm
What is an important aspect of effective pain management?
establishing a trusting relationship with the patient and family.
What is included in the Knowledge needed by a nurse regarding pain?
- Physiology of pain
- Factors that potentially increase or decrease responses to pain
- Pathophysiology of conditions that can cause pain
- Awareness of biases affecting pain assessment and treatment
- Cultural variations in how pain is expressed
- Knowledge of non-verbal communication
What is involved in the Experience of the nurse to address pain?
- Caring for patients with acute, chronic, and cancer pain
- Caring for patients who experienced pain as a result of health care therapy
- Personal experience with pain
What is included in the nursing assessment of pain?
- Determine the patient’s perspective of pain including history of pain; its meaning; and physical, social and emotional effects
- Measure objectively the characteristics of the patient’s pain
- Review potential factors affecting the patient’s pain
What are the Qualities involved in proper nursing care of pain?
- Persevere in exploring causes and possible solutions for chronic pain
- Display confidence when assessing pain to relieve the patient’s anxiety
- Display integrity and fairness to prevent prejudice from affecting assessment
What is considered the most reliable indicator of pain?
A patient’s self-report of pain is considered the gold standard
What are some contributing symptoms to pain?
Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, nausea, anorexia, sleep disruption, spiritual distress, or guilt may increase suffering and aggravate pain
What are some consequences of unrelieved acute pain?
Unrelieved acute pain prolongs hospital stays, delays healing, and may lead to chronic pain.
What are some behavioural and non-verbal indicators of pain?
- assess verbalization, vocal response, facial and body movements, and social interaction
- Grimacing, moaning, crying, inability to settle and rest, poor appetite, and negative emotions such as anger, fear, and anxiety are cues that the patient may be experiencing pain
- patient may exhibit behaviours when in pain that may not be an intuitive pain behaviour; hence, it is important to consult with the parents or caregivers to ascertain typical pain behaviours for that patient
What are examples of vocalizations that may indicate pain?
Moaning Crying Gasping Grunting
What are examples of facial expressions that may indicate pain?
- Grimacing
- Clenched teeth
- Wrinkled forehead
- Tightly closed or widely opened eyes
- Lip biting
What body movements may be indications that a patient is in pain?
- Restlessness
- Immobilization
- Muscle tension
- Increased hand and finger movements
- Pacing activities
- Rhythmic or rubbing motions
- Protective movement of body parts
What social interactions may indicate a patient is in pain?
- Avoidance of conversation
- Focused only on activities for pain relief
- Avoidance of social contacts Reduced attention span
- Withdrawn
- Despondent—failure to interact purposefully and meaningfully with immediate environment
What is one of the primary goals of pain management?
The primary goal of pain management should be to improve the patient’s function. Pain can also affect sleep, and impaired sleep can increase pain.
