Asked by Takuya Miyaishi on May 12, 2024
Verified
The nurse is caring for a 4-year-old child who has pain. Which technique will the nurse use to best assess pain in this child?
A) Use the FACES scale.
B) Check to see what previous nurses have charted.
C) Ask the parents if they think their child is in pain.
D) Have the child rate the level of pain on a 0 to 10 pain scale.
FACES Scale
A visual scale used to help patients, especially children, to express the intensity of their pain by choosing from a range of facial expressions.
Assess Pain
The process of evaluating the presence, intensity, and nature of pain an individual is experiencing, often using scales or questionnaires.
4-Year-Old Child
A developmental stage in children characterized by increased independence, creativity, and understanding of basic concepts and ideas.
- Measure pain effectively by employing various traits and metrics specifically tailored to the needs of individual patients, inclusive of specialized groups.
Verified Answer
LE
Lauren ElizaMay 14, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
The FACES scale assesses pain in children who are verbal. Because a 4-year-old is verbal, this is an appropriate scale to use with this child. Assessing pain intensity in children requires special techniques. Young children often have difficulty expressing their pain. Parents' statement of pain is not an effective way to assess pain in children because children's statements are the most important. The 0 to 10 pain scale is too difficult for a 4-year-old child to understand. Previous documentation by nurses will tell you what the child's pain has been but will not tell you the child's current pain intensity.
Learning Objectives
- Measure pain effectively by employing various traits and metrics specifically tailored to the needs of individual patients, inclusive of specialized groups.