Question

After assessing the patient and identifying the need for headache relief, the nurse administers acetaminophen for the patient's headache. Which action by the nurse is priority for this patient?

a. Eliminate headache from the nursing care plan.
b. Direct the nursing assistive personnel to ask if the headache is relieved.
c. Reassess the patient's pain level in 30 minutes.
d. Revise the plan of care.

Answer 1

The priority action after administering acetaminophen for a headache is to reassess the patient's pain level in 30 minutes to evaluate the effectiveness of the medication and determine if further care is needed.

Step-by-step explanation:

After a nurse administers acetaminophen for a patient's headache, the priority action is c. Reassess the patient's pain level in 30 minutes. This step is crucial to determine the effectiveness of the medication and to evaluate whether further intervention is needed. It is an essential part of the nursing process, which involves continually assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care. Acetaminophen is a common pain reliever that provides analgesic and antipyretic effects with fewer side effects than aspirin, such as reduced gastric distress. However, it is important to remember that overdose can lead to severe liver damage, and caution must be taken when prescribing to patients who consume alcohol regularly or who are using other acetaminophen-containing medications.