Basic Nursing SkillsQuestion 78 of 200
For a cognitively intact resident, the most commonly used pain scale is:
a.PAINAD, a five-item behavioral observation scale developed for residents with advanced dementia who cannot self-report
b.FLACC, an observational scale validated for infants and young children
c.0-10 numeric rating scale (0 = no pain, 10 = worst imaginable pain) or Wong-Baker FACES
d.The Glasgow Coma Scale, which grades eye, verbal, and motor responses
Explanation
For verbal cognitively intact adults, the 0-10 numeric scale or Wong-Baker FACES (useful for limited literacy or language barriers) is standard. PAINAD (a) is for advanced dementia; FLACC (b) is validated for infants/young children; Glasgow (d) measures consciousness, not pain. Pain assessment is the 'fifth vital sign'; CNAs report pain levels and reassess after analgesic intervention by the nurse.
Law Reference: Joint Commission pain management; FACES/PAINADThis topic, taught in full in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) guide. CNA — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $19.99 · 14-day refund →
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