NCLEX: A 76-year-old client in a long-term care facility is being evaluated for new admission assessment. Assessment dat…

Nursing fundamentals Basic Care and Comfort Safety and Infection Prevention and Control

Case Study

A 76-year-old client in a long-term care facility is being evaluated for new admission assessment. Assessment data include pain 9/10 and guards the abdomen after surgery. Which finding requires the nurse to intervene immediately?

Question

A. The new finding that pain 9/10 and guards the abdomen after surgery.
B. A stable, long-standing finding that matches the expected care plan.
C. A comfort request with unchanged vital signs and no new symptoms.
D. Routine data unchanged from the prior assessment.

Rationale

Correct answer: A. The new finding that pain 9/10 and guards the abdomen after surgery.

Rationale: Follow-up items test whether the nurse recognizes cues that are new, acute, or inconsistent with stability and need prompt nursing action.

Hint: Apply ABCs, client stability, and NCSBN clinical judgment steps before choosing an intervention.

Level: Foundational

Difficulty: Easy

Subtopic: Nursing process