Question

The patient is taking morphine after a procedure. The patient has made his 3rd request for pain medication in the past 4 hours. The patient's vital signs are T 36.4 C, HR 88 bpm, RR 12 bpm, BP 104/60, O2 sat 98%. He rates his pain as an 8 on scale 1-10. Assuming that a dose of the medication is due, what is the nurse's best action?

a. Administer the dose and contact the HCP about his RR.
b. Administer the dose and notify the HCP about his pain control.
c. Hold the dose and contact the HCP about his RR.
b. Hold the dose and contact the HCP about his pain control.

Answer 1

As long as the patient's RR is within acceptable limits and there are no signs of respiratory distress, the nurse should administer the next dose of medication and inform the HCP about the patient's ongoing pain to reassess pain management strategies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient is currently on morphine for pain management following a procedure and requests additional medication for pain, rating it an 8 on a scale from 1-10. The patient's respiratory rate (RR) is 12 breaths per minute, which is at the lower end of the normal range (12-16 bpm), but not necessarily alarming unless the patient shows signs of respiratory depression or other concerning symptoms. Given the patient's pain rating and assuming the next dose of medication is due, the nurse's best action would be option b: Administer the dose and notify the Health Care Provider (HCP) about his pain control. This action allows for the management of the patient's pain while also engaging with the HCP to evaluate the efficacy of current pain management strategies and consider adjustments if necessary. It’s important to always monitor the patient closely after administration, especially for any signs of altered respiratory function due to morphine's potential to cause respiratory depression.