A nurse is planning to administer medications to a client who has trigeminal neuralgia.
Which of the following medications should the nurse plan to administer to manage the client's pain?

Choice A rationale:

Increased temperature is not a direct indication of naloxone’s effectiveness. Naloxone works by reversing the effects of opioids, which do not typically include fever.

Choice B rationale:

While naloxone can cause an abrupt withdrawal in opioid-dependent individuals, leading to symptoms such as hypertension, it does not typically decrease blood pressure in opioid overdose cases.

Choice C rationale:

Naloxone works by reversing the life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system caused by an opioid overdose. Therefore, an increased respiratory rate after administration would indicate that the medication is effective.

Choice D rationale:

Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids, including pain relief. Therefore, a report of decreased pain would not indicate that the medication is effective.

Choice A rationale:

Oxycodone overdose typically results in constricted (not dilated) pupils due to its action on the central nervous system.

Choice B rationale:

Oxycodone overdose can cause respiratory depression, leading to slow and shallow breathing (bradypnea), not rapid breathing (tachypnea)

Choice C rationale:

Oxycodone does not typically cause tachycardia. It can cause bradycardia due to its action on the central nervous system.

Choice D rationale:

Sedation is a common effect of oxycodone and can be more pronounced in cases of overdose due to the drug’s depressant effect on the central nervous system.