Question

A nurse administers epidural anesthesia to a patient in the terminal stages of cancer for pain relief. Which nursing intervention is then necessary?

1. Administering supplemental doses of opioid
2. Assessing vitals once every hour after administering the first dose
3. Administering anticoagulant medications with the epidural
4. Notifying the health care provider if the patient develops pain at the epidural insertion site

Answer 1

The necessary nursing intervention for a patient receiving epidural anesthesia for pain relief in the terminal stages of cancer is administering supplemental doses of opioids.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse administers epidural anesthesia to a patient in the terminal stages of cancer for pain relief, the necessary nursing intervention would be to administering supplemental doses of opioid.

Epidural anesthesia is a type of regional anesthesia that provides pain relief to a specific part of the body, in this case, the area where the cancer is causing pain. Opioids are commonly used to manage pain, and the nurse may need to administer supplemental doses to ensure the patient's comfort.

Assessing vitals once every hour after administering the first dose and notifying the healthcare provider if the patient develops pain at the epidural insertion site are also important interventions, but administering supplemental doses of opioids is the most immediate and necessary intervention for pain relief.