Which step of nursing process would the nurse ask a patient if the medication he/she administered relieved the patient's pain?

Appeared in: JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Explanation

Evaluation is the final step of the nursing process (ADPIE).
Its primary purpose is to determine if the nursing interventions were effective in meeting the patient's goals.
Asking a patient about pain relief after administering medication is a direct method of evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention.
This step is crucial for deciding whether to continue, modify, or discontinue the plan of care.

Option A: Analysis, while a critical thinking skill used throughout the nursing process, is most closely associated with the Diagnosis step. It involves interpreting assessment data to identify patient problems, not evaluating the outcome of an intervention.
Option B: Planning involves setting goals and choosing interventions before they are carried out. The action in the question occurs after the intervention has already been performed.
Option D: Assessment is the initial step of gathering data to identify a patient's problems and needs. While evaluation involves assessment skills, its purpose is different. The question describes a follow-up action, not an initial data collection.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Steps of the Nursing Process (ADPIE) to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
The Evaluation step is essential for patient safety and quality of care. It ensures that treatments are effective and not causing harm.
Failure to properly evaluate can lead to unresolved patient problems, such as unmanaged pain, which can delay recovery and cause further complications.
What if the patient reports the pain is not relieved? The evaluation finding would prompt the nurse to reassess the patient, consider alternative interventions (e.g., non-pharmacological methods, contacting the provider for a different medication), and revise the care plan.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core question: It asks to categorize a specific nursing action within the nursing process.
Recall the five steps of the nursing process using the mnemonic ADPIE: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation.
Analyze the nurse's action: 'ask a patient if the medication... relieved the patient's pain'. Note the timing – this happens after medication has been administered.
Consider the purpose of the action: The nurse is checking the effectiveness or result of the intervention.
Match the action's purpose and timing to the correct ADPIE step. Checking the result of an intervention is the definition of Evaluation.
Eliminate the other options: Assessment is initial data gathering, Planning is before action, and Analysis is part of Diagnosis.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QbEaweYWfSOGTYhF4QsM26

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 pp. 55-57, 63-65

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 1 p. 12-14

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