Final answer:
The nurse should monitor for adverse effects and consider appropriate dosage when administering pain medication to older adults. Individualization of the pain management plan is important, taking into account the patient's age, health, and pain condition.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the patient's age, there are several medication-administration considerations that the nurse should incorporate into the pain management plan. One important consideration is to monitor for adverse effects due to slowed metabolism and potential drug interactions. As patients age, their metabolism tends to slow down, which can affect how medications are processed in the body. This can result in a buildup of medication levels and an increased risk of side effects. Additionally, older adults may also be taking other medications that can interact with pain medications, further increasing the risk of adverse effects.
Another consideration is to select the appropriate dosage based on the patient's age and possible age-related changes in pain sensitivity. While it is not necessary to automatically increase the dosage to compensate for age-related pain sensitivity (option a), it is important to consider whether the patient may require adjustments in their pain medication dosage. Factors such as a potential decline in kidney or liver function with age can affect how medications are metabolized and eliminated from the body, which may require dose adjustments.
Administering pain medication only during daytime hours (option c) or disregarding age-related factors in pain management (option d) are not appropriate medication-administration considerations based solely on the patient's age. The best approach is to individualize the pain management plan for each patient, taking into account their age, overall health, medication history, and specific pain condition.