Which action should the nurse implement first for a post-transplant patient who reports incisional pain after transfer to the Surgical Unit?

• A. Check the dressing integrity.
• B. Obtain baseline labs.
• C. Administer an analgesic.
• D. Notify the physician.

Answer: (C)

Relieving the patient’s postoperative pain is the priority because amply controlled pain after a major transplant enables deep breathing, effective coughing, and participation in early mobilization. When pain is managed promptly, the patient can use incentive spirometry and ambulate more easily, reducing the risk of atelectasis, pneumonia, and slowed recovery, and it also helps ensure stable hemodynamics and graft perfusion during the early recovery period. After analgesia is provided, you can then assess the incision and dressing for integrity, monitor for any signs of wound complications, and communicate with the physician if pain remains uncontrolled or if there are concerning findings. Baseline labs and notifying the physician are important steps in ongoing care, but they aren’t the immediate action to address new incisional pain.