Upon transfer from the SICU to the Surgical Unit, the patient reports incisional pain 6/10 and last analgesic was 4 hours ago. Which action should the nurse implement first?

• A. Reassess vital signs.
• B. Notify the surgeon of the patient’s pain level.
• C. Administer an analgesic.
• D. Begin dressing change.

Answer: (C)

Relieve pain now to enable healing and prevent complications. When a postoperative patient reports moderate to significant pain and the last analgesic was several hours ago, giving analgesia is the most direct way to address the root issue and restore comfort, which in turn supports deep breathing, coughing, and early mobilization.

After administering analgesic, plan to reassess the patient’s pain level and vital signs to ensure the medication is effective and to monitor for potential side effects such as respiratory depression or oversedation.

Notifying the surgeon isn’t the immediate step unless pain remains uncontrolled after analgesia or there are signs of complications. Starting a dressing change isn’t appropriate while the patient is in pain, as it would increase discomfort and isn’t necessary for this moment.