Question

After surgery for a fractured hip, a client states, "i don't remember when i have ever been so uncomfortable." what should the nurse's initial response be?

Answer 1

The nurse should perform a complete pain assessment. Pain assessment involves an evaluation of the reported pain and the factors that alleviate or exacerbate it, as well as the response to treatment of pain.  Responses to pain widely vary among individuals depending on different physical and psychological factors such as specific diseases and injuries and the ealth, fear and anxiety among other factors. Intensity of pain is often assessed by using pains scales.

Answer 2

The nurse should explain to the patient about the severity of the situation and that the feeling of discomfort after hip surgery is common, since it is an invasive, complex treatment that interferes with morota coordination. However, she should check whether the patient's parameters are as expected for a postoperative condition. Finally, she should explain to the patient in detail what he or she should expect from treatment until recovery.