Joint Pain

Is this a NANDA Nursing Dx??"Chronic pain r/t osteoarthritis of knee as evidence by swelling of the joint.

Public Comments

1. Pain, Chronic is one of the accepted NANDA nursing diagnoses. However, joint swelling in and of itself is not evidence of pain or necessarily arthritis. Wouldn't better parameters for pain evidence be physiologic changes, such as changes, in vital signs, or tearing and diaphoresis. Or behavoral changes such as alterations of mood and levels of aggression. These are signs I would want a nurse to report as evidence of pain, not swelling of the knee. The swelling of the knee would be a separate diagnosis, such as localized swelling related to arthritis.
2. I believe it is.