Question

A nurse is assessing a client who is receiving morphine via IV bolus for pain following cesarean birth. The nurse notes a respiratory rate of 8/min. Which of the following medications should the nurse administer?

a) Naloxone

b) Diazepam

c) Acetaminophen

d) Ibuprofen

Answer 1

The nurse should administer naloxone to a patient with respiratory depression from morphine, as it is an opiate antagonist used to reverse opioid effects like respiratory depression.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse noting a respiratory rate of 8/min in a client receiving IV morphine for post-cesarean pain is observing signs of opioid-induced respiratory depression. In such a case, the nurse should administer naloxone, an opiate antagonist. Naloxone is used to reverse the effects of opioids, specifically the respiratory depression that can follow acute narcotic intoxication. It is important to act quickly as morphine and other opioids can lead to life-threatening respiratory failure if not addressed.

Naloxone has no analgesic or euphoric effects in individuals not dependent on narcotics, but can rapidly precipitate withdrawal symptoms in narcotic-dependent individuals. It binds to opioid receptors and displaces opioids like morphine, thus reversing their effects. The nurse should always be prepared to administer naloxone to a patient who shows signs of opioid overdose or significant respiratory depression.

The other medications listed, such as diazepam (a benzodiazepine), acetaminophen, and ibuprofen (non-opioid pain relievers), do not reverse opioid toxicity and therefore would not be appropriate in this scenario. Diazepam could even worsen respiratory depression whereas acetaminophen and ibuprofen are simply analgesics not indicated for opioid overdose.