A client with pneumonia is experiencing pleuritic chest pain. What should the nurse assess the client for?

When a client with pneumonia is experiencing pleuritic chest pain, it is essential to assess them for moderate pain that worsens on inspiration. Pleuritic chest pain specifically occurs due to inflammation of the pleura, the membranes surrounding the lungs, which are affected during pneumonia. This type of pain is typically sharp or stabbing and is exacerbated by deep breathing, coughing, or movements that involve the chest wall.

In this context, moderate pain that intensifies with inspiration signals that the pleura are irritated, which is common in pneumonia cases. Recognizing this characteristic can help in the overall assessment and management of the client’s condition. Additionally, monitoring for the presence of pleuritic pain can guide clinical decisions regarding treatment and further diagnostic evaluations.

In contrast, mild but constant aching in the chest or severe midsternal pain may indicate different underlying conditions and do not specifically correlate with the pleuritic nature of chest discomfort associated with pneumonia. Muscle spasm pain may suggest a separate issue related to coughing but does not accurately reflect the typical presentation of pleuritic pain linked to pleural irritation in pneumonia.