Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Clinical Workflow and Patient IntakeEasy
A medical assistant asks an adult patient to rate their pain using a numeric scale. The patient states their pain is an 8. On a standard 0-10 numeric pain rating scale, this score indicates which level of pain?
- AMild pain
- BModerate pain
- CSevere pain
- DNo pain
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Severe pain
On the standard 0-10 numeric pain rating scale, 0 indicates no pain, 1-3 mild pain, 4-6 moderate pain, and 7-10 severe pain. A score of 8 falls into the severe pain category.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Mild pain corresponds to scores of 1-3.
- B. Moderate pain corresponds to scores of 4-6.
- D. A score of 0 indicates no pain, not 8.
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
A 0-10 scale used to quantify pain intensity in adults and older children who can verbally describe their pain level.
- 0 = no pain
- 1-3 = mild, 4-6 = moderate, 7-10 = severe
- Alternative scales (e.g., Wong-Baker FACES) used for young children
Memory trick: Think of a stoplight: 0-3 green (mild), 4-6 yellow (moderate), 7-10 red (severe).