Question

After receiving ibuprofen (Motrin) 800 mg orally for right hip pain, the patient states that his pain is 8 out of 10 on the numerical pain scale. Which action should the nurse take?

1) Use nonpharmacological therapy while waiting 3 more hours before the next dose.

2) Administer an additional 800 mg oral dose of ibuprofen right away.

3) Do nothing because the patients facial expression indicates he is comfortable.

4) Notify the prescriber that the current pain management plan is ineffective.

Answer 1

For a patient in pain after an 800 mg dose of ibuprofen, the nurse should consider nonpharmacological therapies or notify the prescriber to evaluate the pain management plan. Additional ibuprofen should not be given immediately to avoid overdose risks.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient states that his pain is 8 out of 10 on the numerical pain scale after receiving ibuprofen 800 mg orally for right hip pain, the nurse should consider option 1) Use nonpharmacological therapy while waiting 3 more hours before the next dose, or opt for option 4) Notify the prescriber that the current pain management plan is ineffective. Administering an additional 800 mg dose of ibuprofen (option 2) right away is not recommended as it exceeds the general maximum daily dose and could lead to an overdose with dangerous side effects. Judging a patient's level of discomfort based solely on facial expressions (option 3) is neither reliable nor professional; a patient's self-report is the most accurate measure of pain.