A patient is receiving morphine sulfate 4 mg intravenously every 3 hours for pain. The nurse understands that the half-life for morphine sulfate is approximately 3 hours
Which statement made by the nurse best demonstrates understanding of the meaning of half-life?
a. The half-life of a medication does not determine dosing intervals.
b. The half-life for morphine sulfate would be 2 mg.
c. The patient will require more morphine sulfate in 6 hours to keep the minimum effective concentration.
d. The half-life of a medication refers to the time required for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by 50%.
ANS: D
The half-life of a medication refers to the time required for the amount of drug to be decreased by the body by 50%.
The half-life of a medication does determine dosing intervals.
The half-life of a medication may be any amount of a drug, depending on what is in the patient's system at any given time.
The morphine sulfate should be dosed at shorter intervals due to the short half-life.
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