Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse Practice Test

What should the nurse ask Mr. Palmer, who is short of breath, diaphoretic, and complaining of chest pain, to gather critical information?

1. "Have you ever had this type of chest pain before?"

2. "How long have you had this pain?"

3. "What pain medication do you usually take?"

4. "What were you doing before the pain started?"

The correct answer is: "Have you ever had this type of chest pain before?"

The most appropriate question the nurse should ask Mr. Palmer, who is presenting with shortness of breath, diaphoresis, and chest pain, is, "Have you ever had this type of chest pain before?" This question is crucial in determining if the chest pain is a new or recurrent issue and can help in diagnosing the cause of the symptoms. Option B, "How long have you had this pain?", is a relevant question to gather information about the duration of the current episode but may not provide insights into the previous occurrences of similar symptoms. Option C, "What pain medication do you usually take?", while important for medication history and management, is not as critical in the initial assessment of a patient with acute chest pain and shortness of breath. Option D, "What were you doing before the pain started?", is valuable in obtaining information about possible triggers or activities preceding the symptoms but may not be as essential as knowing the history of the current symptom presentation.