Post-operative pain and wound check on day 2
IENCAP OSCE practice station
Pain management · 2 min to read · 13 min to perform
Assess her abdominal wound.
Sandra LavoieThe pain in my belly is getting worse. Can I get something for it?
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Open the full station (charts, voice, result letter) →The task
You are the nurse on a surgical unit in Ontario. Sandra Lavoie, aged 52, had an abdominal hysterectomy two days ago and has called for help because of increasing pain. A personal support worker is nearby. Introduce yourself, confirm her identity and assess her pain. Assess her abdominal wound. Decide what you will do about her pain, including any medication on her chart, and what you will report. Say aloud what you are checking and why. Record your findings in the progress note provided.
What this station tests
- Assess pain at rest and on movement and ask how it limits breathing, walking and sleep.
- Check allergies, the chart and the time of the last doses before any PRN analgesic.
- Assess sedation and vital signs before and after giving an opioid.
- Describe a wound in plain words: edges, colour, warmth, drainage, odour and swelling.
- Report a change in pain or wound appearance to the surgical team, and record it clearly.
Sources for the clinical content
- RNAO Best Practice Guideline: Pain, prevention, assessment and management
- College of Nurses of Ontario: Medication practice standard
- College of Nurses of Ontario: Documentation practice standard
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.