The initial step to effect the safe management of mild to moderate acute pain that has not been controlled with over-the-counter medications is to:
a. begin acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours for 24 hours.
b. supplement with nonpharmacological in-terventions.
c. administer a single low dose of short-acting opioid and monitor for relief.
d. titrate dosage of a short-acting opioid up-ward over 24 hours to achieve relief.
ANS: C
If pain continues, consider a single low-dose, short-acting opioid and observe the effect. Aceta-minophen is an over-the-counter analgesic and so its effect is already determined to be ineffec-tive. Nonpharmacological interventions are only appropriate once pain management has been successfully implemented. Titrating an opioid dose upward is appropriate only after the effects of the initial dose have been determined.
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