HESI MCA II Practice Test

Pain control is the priority during an acute sickle cell crisis because severe vaso-occlusive pain drives sympathetic stress and increases oxygen demand, which can worsen perfusion. The best nursing action is to assess how well the narcotic analgesics are relieving pain and adjust therapy as needed to achieve adequate relief promptly. This involves frequent pain assessments using a standardized scale, monitoring for vital signs, respiratory status, sedation, and medication side effects, and communicating findings to adjust the analgesic plan per protocol. Once pain is well controlled, further interventions like hydration, limited activity, and patient education become appropriate; the other actions are not the immediate focus during an active crisis.