Question

The patient has an order for morphine sulfate 2 mg intravenously prn (as needed) every 2 hours. When the nurse administers this medication, she is providing:

A. an independent nursing intervention.
B. a dependent nursing intervention.
C. a referral
D. an indirect care procedure.

Answer 1

The nurse administering morphine sulfate as ordered by a physician is engaging in a dependent nursing intervention, which is performed under direct medical orders.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the nurse administers morphine sulfate 2 mg intravenously as per the physician's order, she is performing a dependent nursing intervention. This type of intervention requires direct order from a physician or another healthcare provider. It is not an independent intervention, which the nurse can initiate without a physician's order.

It is also not a referral or an indirect care procedure, which are distinct processes within patient care. The nurse administers morphine sulfate 2 mg intravenously prn (as needed) every 2 hours, she is providing a dependent nursing intervention. This is because the nurse is following a physician's order and is reliant on the order to administer the medication.