A client recovering from hip surgery is reluctant to ambulate because

A client recovering from hip surgery is reluctant to ambulate because of the amount of pain that occurred with walking prior to the surgery. What can the nurse do to help this client with pain control?

1. Provide pain medication before every ambulation session.
2. Address the client’s fear of pain with walking.
3. Tell the client that the pain is now gone.
4. Explain that the client is confusing postoperative pain with the pain before the surgery.

ANSWER

Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: The client may not be prescribed pain medication before every ambulation session.
Rationale 2: Nurses can use the gate control theory to stop nociceptor firing by applying topical therapies and addressing the client’s mood to reduce fear and anxiety.
Rationale 3: The nurse needs to do more than tell the client that the pain is gone.
Rationale 4: The client does not appear to be confused between the postoperative pain and the pain before the surgery.