A patient tells you that the usual dose of an opioid drug for cancer pain no longer relieves the pain. What is your best response?
a. We have to be careful about increasing opioid drug dosages to prevent drug addiction.
b. You may be developing dependence on the drug and that is why it no longer relieves your pain.
c. Your body may be adjusting to the drug, eliminating it more rapidly, and thus you will need a higher dose to achieve pain relief.
d. The danger of increasing your opioid drug dosage is that you may experience respiratory failure.
Question 2
A patient is taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) for mild headache pain. Which precaution is most important for you to teach the patient?
a. Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking this drug.
b. Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks while taking this drug.
c. If any decrease in vision occurs, stop the drug and notify your prescriber immediately.
d. Do not drive or operate dangerous machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
Nurse-patient interaction; nonverbal communication
McBurney’s point is the common location of pain in children and adolescents with appendicitis.
p53 Cancer
Patient teaching: lung assessment
Opioid Antagonists
Ophthalmic drug administration