Author Question: The nurse is planning to administer a pain medication to a patient who is 2 hours postoperative ... (Read 56 times)

jman1234 · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

The nurse is planning to administer a pain medication to a patient who is 2 hours postoperative following bowel resection surgery. The patient has four standing orders for pain medication.

Which medication should the nurse consider providing to the patient at this time?

1. The one that is to be administered intravenously by the patient and is under patient control
2. The one that will be given intramuscularly to work quickly
3. The one that is ordered on a prn basis
4. The one to be administered orally

Question 2

A patient is receiving a narcotic for severe acute pain. What should the nurse encourage the patient to consume in greater quantities due to the pain medication?

1. fiber
2. vitamin D
3. protein
4. carbohydrates

Jossy · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1

Patient-controlled analgesia allows self-management of pain and is a common method of administering postoperative pain medication. The advantages to this method are dose precision, timeliness, and convenience. An oral medication or a prn medication administered 2 hours after a major surgery would not be the most effective. The medication that is administered intramuscularly is not typically recommended for moderate-to-severe pain that will require more than one dose.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1

Patients receiving narcotics are at risk for constipation. Increasing fiber in the diet will help to reduce this effect. Increasing vitamin D, protein, or carbohydrates is not specifically related to the effects of a narcotic medication.