A terminally ill older client with ongoing pain is prescribed an increased dose of morphine. What is the best way for the nurse to manage this new dose?
1. Ensure the client is medicated on schedule and when needed.
2. Continue the previous dose until the client exhibits increased pain.
3. Slowly increase the current dose until the new dose is achieved.
4. Hold the next dose if the client's respiratory rate decreases.
1. Ensure the client is medicated on schedule and when needed.
Explanation: 1. Management of pain in terminal conditions may call for higher doses of opioids, and pain should be treated aggressively to maximize comfort.
2. The previous dose is no longer an active prescription. The nurse administers medication as prescribed. The nurse would not wait until the client's pain increases.
3. An end-of-life client does not require slow narcotic dose titration. The goal is to achieve comfort quickly and efficiently.
4. Management of pain in terminal conditions is the priority, even if an unintended effect of respiratory depression occurs.
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