RN Exam Practice
Basic Care and ComfortQuestion 391 of 2368

A client has a painful wound, and a dressing change is due. No analgesic is ordered. What should the nurse do first?

  1. Contact the provider for a pain medication prescription
  2. Perform the dressing change quickly to limit the pain
  3. Delay the dressing change until the client asks for medication
  4. Apply a larger dressing to reduce friction on the wound
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Correct answer: Contact the provider for a pain medication prescription

Painful wounds need medication before dressing changes. If none is ordered, the nurse contacts the provider first.

Source: Nursing Skills, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Wound Care: Manage Wound Pain. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Basic Care and Comfort"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026