The wife of a terminally ill cancer patient who is receiving palliative care asks the hospice nurse how her husband's pain will be controlled as he nears death. The nurse's best response is:

Question

a. "Most of the time we can manage the pain with oral morphine and transdermal pain medication."
b. "We will probably have to start an IV to administer morphine to control the intense pain he may be experiencing."
c. "Dying patients typically do not have any pain, so this will not be an issue."
d. "I will have to check with your husband's physician to see how he wants us to han-dle pain control."

Answer 1

A
Oral and transdermal pain control methods are most often used for the terminally ill patient near death. An IV is not typically started on a patient near death who is receiving palliative care. Dy-ing patients do experience pain. The plan of care should be in place for the patient receiving pal-liative care, so the physician would not be contacted for pain medication orders.