A hospice nurse is caring for a client who has terminal illness and reports severe pain. After the nurse administers the prescribed opioid and benzodiazepine, the client becomes somnolent and difficult to arouse.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Continue the medication dosages that relieve the client’s pain
Contact the provider about replacing the opioid with an NSAID
Administer the benzodiazepine but withhold the opioid
Withhold the benzodiazepine but continue the opioid
The Correct Answer is D
a. Continuing both medications may exacerbate the somnolence and difficulty arousing experienced by the client. It's essential to address the adverse effects promptly.
b. NSAIDs are not typically the first choice for severe pain management in terminal illness, especially when opioids are already prescribed. Moreover, replacing the opioid with an NSAID may not adequately address the pain.
c. Administering the benzodiazepine alongside the opioid may further potentiate the sedative effects and worsen the client's condition.
d. This is the most appropriate action. Withholding the benzodiazepine can help mitigate the sedation while continuing the opioid ensures ongoing pain relief for the client's comfort without introducing additional sedating medications.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
- Rationale for A: Client confidentiality is a fundamental part of nursing ethics and legal practice. A nurse may disclose information to a family member only if the client has given permission, ensuring respect for the client's autonomy and privacy.
- Rationale for B: While it is true that nurses play a crucial role in patient education, the primary responsibility for informing clients about treatment options lies with the attending physician or healthcare provider.
- Rationale for C: The use of restraints is highly regulated in healthcare settings. Restraints can only be applied based on specific criteria and orders that are not on a PRN (as needed) basis, to protect the safety and rights of the client.
- Rationale for D: Administering medications without consent, even as part of a research study, is unethical and illegal unless specific and stringent consent procedures are followed, which include informed consent and approval by an institutional review board (IRB).
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
a. Postoperative care, especially for a client with a PCA pump (Patient-Controlled Analgesia), requires skills commonly found in medical-surgical units, making it suitable for an RN with experience in that area.
b. Managing preeclampsia and labor induction involves obstetric-specific knowledge and skills, which are better suited for a nurse with experience in obstetrics.
c. Gestational diabetes management and nonstress tests are part of routine obstetrical care and do not necessarily require specialized medical-surgical skills.
d. A client with premature rupture of membranes at 32 weeks gestation requires close monitoring and potentially specialized obstetric care, not typically provided by medical-surgical nurses.
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