The nurse is administering pain medication for a child with ...

[deesands]

The nurse is administering pain medication for a child with continuous pain from internal injuries. Which of the following methods would be ordered to dispense the medication?
 
  A) Administer the medication PRN (as needed).
  B) Administer the mediation when pain has peaked.
  C) Administer the medication around the clock at timed intervals.
  D) Administer the medication when the child complains of pain.

Question 2

The parents of a school-age child are informed that their child has muscular dystrophy and will be wheelchair bound going forward. Which nursing diagnosis should the nurse identify as appropriate for the parents at this time?
 
  A) Hopelessness related to steady progression of child's disease
  B) Interrupted family processes related to recent diagnosis of chronic illness in a child
  C) Decisional conflict related to treatment options and choice of setting for child's final care
  D) Risk for delayed growth and development related to lack of age-appropriate stimulation because of disability

[mmj22343]

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
With any medication administered for pain management, the timing of administration is vital. Timing depends on the type of pain. For continuous pain, the current recommendation is to administer analgesia around the clock at scheduled intervals to achieve the necessary effect. As-needed or PRN dosing is not recommended for continuous pain. This method can lead to inadequate pain relief because of the delay before the drug reaches its peak effectiveness. For pain that can be predicted or considered temporary, such as with a procedure, analgesia is administered so that the peak action of the drug matches the time of the painful event. It is not recommended to wait until the child complains of pain because therapeutic levels will be difficult to reach at this point.

Answer to Question 2

B
Feedback:
Because the parents are just learning of the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy, this news will interrupt family processes. There is no enough information to determine if the parents are hopeless. The child is not diagnosed with a terminal illness. There is no enough information to determine if the child is at risk for delayed growth and development.

[deesands]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[laurnthompson]

TYSM