Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Using cognitive strategies such as suggestion can help patients to:

1. Forget their pain completely

2. Tolerate higher levels of pain

3. Ignore their pain

4. Reduce their medication dosage

The correct answer is: Tolerate higher levels of pain

Using cognitive strategies such as suggestion can significantly aid patients in tolerating higher levels of pain. This approach hinges on the principle that the mind plays a pivotal role in the perception of pain. By utilizing techniques like suggestion, visualization, or guided imagery, patients can shift their focus away from discomfort and manipulate their psychological responses to pain. This capability stems from the concept of pain as not just a physical sensation, but also a cognitive and emotional experience. When patients are trained to employ cognitive strategies effectively, they often find themselves able to manage and modulate their pain levels, leading to an increased tolerance. This does not imply that pain is completely absent; rather, it suggests that patients can experience pain with diminished intensity or impact on their daily functioning. Other choices such as forgetting pain completely may not be feasible as pain is a bodily signal that often cannot be entirely dismissed. Ignoring pain could lead to potential medical complications, as it might prevent patients from attending to underlying issues. Reducing medication dosage is a possibility in some cases, but this would depend on a clinician's assessment and is not a direct outcome of cognitive strategies alone. Hence, the correct choice reflects the realistic and beneficial impact of cognitive strategies on pain tolerance.