Final answer:
The nurse should evaluate the patient's pain management plan, considering if an additional morphine dose is needed and permissible, assess for causes of continued pain, consider other pain relief methods, and closely monitor the patient's vital signs and potential narcotic side effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Stella Jones, RN, reassesses a patient who reports a pain level of 8 out of 10 after receiving morphine, the most appropriate intervention would be a comprehensive evaluation of the patient's pain and its management. This would include considering if the dosage of morphine was sufficient or if it's appropriate to give an additional dose, if permissible by the medication schedule and hospital policy. Other considerations might include assessing for potential causes of continued pain, examining the effectiveness of previous interventions, or considering alternative or adjunctive pain relief methods such as oxycodone or non-opioid analgesics like acetaminophen-codeine combinations. It is also crucial to ensure ongoing monitoring of vital signs and potential side effects of narcotics, as excessive sedation or respiratory depression can occur. Since morphine is an analgesic and narcotic, it should relieve pain without causing loss of consciousness, but at higher doses, it can induce drowsiness and even loss of consciousness.