The nurse is caring for a client with prostate cancer with metastasis to S-1 and the adjacent nerve root. The client complains of unrelenting pain
When collaborating with the provider, which of the following examples of balanced analgesia would the nurse advocate for? 1. Use of an opioid for background pain and gabapentin (Neurontin) for the neuropathic pain.
2. Use of an opioid around the clock rather than on an as-needed (PRN ) basis.
3. Use of escalating doses of a narcotic analgesic per the third step of the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder.
4. Begin with the first step of the analgesic ladder as described by the World Health Organization (WHO), and then evaluate the client's response.
Use of an opioid for background pain and gabapentin (Neurontin) for the neuropathic pain.
Rationale: Balanced analgesia or multimodal analgesia allows improved analgesia that is not possible with a single medication; various medications and adjunctive therapies are used to target specific types of pain and provide optimal relief in a safe manner. The use of around-the-clock medication over PRN is appropriate; however, it does not address balanced analgesia. The step approach according to the WHO that permits the provider to begin at the lowest step and move through each step to reach the top is not necessary, nor does it address balanced analgesia.
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The care team on an acute care unit are facing an ethical dilemma around a patient whose family members do not want the patient to learn the results of her latest diagnostic test
What is the first step that the care team should take when addressing this ethical dilemma? A) Implement the simplest solution and then evaluate the results B) Defer the decision to a religious leader from the patient's culture C) Gather all the known facts surrounding the ethical dilemma D) Choose the plan of action that has had the most favorable results in the past
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A nurse is caring for a patient who had surgery and will be receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment for stage III gastric cancer. The client is planning several extensive trips after the che-motherapy and radiation are finished
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A client recently experienced the loss of a significant other and exhibits symptoms of distress. The nurse knows that the client may benefit the most from which of the following complemen-tary therapies?
a. Relaxation therapy b. Acupuncture c. Biofeedback d. Chiropractic medicine