Final answer:
The statement "when a patient has controlled analgesia, and they are in pain you can increase the dosage for them", is false, so the correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
PCA and strong pain medication such as opioids should only be managed by healthcare professionals due to the risks of side effects and addiction.
Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is designed to allow patients to administer their own pain medication within set limits prescribed by a doctor. Increasing a dosage without medical authorization could lead to an overdose or other serious complications.
Medications such as analgesics and narcotics are commonly used in PCA devices. Analgesics are typically effective for low-to-moderate intensity pain, especially when associated with inflammation, and do not lead to loss of consciousness. Narcotics, in higher doses, can relieve pain but may also induce drowsiness or loss of consciousness.
For severe pain not relieved by over-the-counter (OTC) medicines or analgesics, doctors may prescribe NSAIDs in higher doses or opioids, which are potent pain relievers but come with risks like side effects and addiction.
Consequently, they should only be used under strict medical supervision. Hence, when it comes to PCA, any adjustment to the dosage should only be done by a healthcare professional.
So, the statement is false.