After abdominal surgery, which cue would the nurse use to form a data cluster?

After abdominal surgery, which cue would the nurse use to form a data cluster?

• A. Reports pain with movement
• B. No pain at all
• C. Pain is rated 0 on a scale of 0-10
• D. Recently walked without assistance

Answer: (A)

In nursing assessment, you form a data cluster by grouping cues that point to a single issue the patient may have. After abdominal surgery, a cue like reporting pain with movement directly signals a postoperative problem that needs attention. This kind of cue helps you build a cluster around acute pain and the related needs—adequate analgesia, encouraging safe movement, and monitoring for complications such as splinting or shallow breathing that can affect recovery. The other options describe normal or improving status—no pain at all, pain rated zero, or recent independent walking—so they don’t point to a problem that would form a meaningful cluster for a postoperative nursing diagnosis.

In nursing assessment, you form a data cluster by grouping cues that point to a single issue the patient may have. After abdominal surgery, a cue like reporting pain with movement directly signals a postoperative problem that needs attention. This kind of cue helps you build a cluster around acute pain and the related needs—adequate analgesia, encouraging safe movement, and monitoring for complications such as splinting or shallow breathing that can affect recovery.

The other options describe normal or improving status—no pain at all, pain rated zero, or recent independent walking—so they don’t point to a problem that would form a meaningful cluster for a postoperative nursing diagnosis.