A 52-year-old woman on the rehabilitation unit is post-operative day 2 following a right total knee replacement. She reports right knee pain rated 6/10 on the numeric pain scale, describing it as "aching and throbbing," and grimaces when attempting to reposition in bed. Vital signs are temperature 37.2°C, heart rate 88/min, respirations 18/min, and blood pressure 132/78 mm Hg. She is alert, oriented, and able to follow instructions. Her surgical dressing is dry and intact, and she is scheduled for physical therapy in 30 minutes. The LPN plans comfort measures before the client's therapy session. What should the LPN do first?
- Administer the client's oral opioid analgesic immediately without trying positioning measures.
- Document that the client appears comfortable and proceed with the scheduled therapy session.
- Turn and reposition the client fully for her, since she just had major surgery.
- Reposition the knee with pillow support and apply a cold pack, then reassess pain using the numeric scale.