NCLEX RN Practice Question

The client's self-report is the most reliable indicator of their pain experience. Even if a client's behavior, such as watching television, does not seem to align with a high pain score, the nurse's priority is to treat the reported pain. Delaying medication or encouraging non-pharmacological methods as a first-line substitute dismisses the client's report and can lead to inadequate pain management. While documenting the discrepancy is important, it is not the priority action. The priority is to provide the prescribed intervention for the client's reported pain level.