An older adult admitted for back surgery asks for opioid pain medication. The nurse knows the patient asks for pain medication 15 minutes before it is due. Which recommendation should the nurse implement?

Question

a. Validate the pain with other assessment data.
b. Administer the pain medication as re-quested by the patient.
c. Tell the patient that it is too soon for pain medication.
d. Teach the patient alternative comfort measures.

Answer 1

B
The nurse should administer the opioid pain medication as requested because the patient is asking for the pain medication within the prescription's time limit. Most institutions allow the nurse to administer opioid medications 15 to 30 minutes before the designated time on the prescription; therefore the patient is not asking for the medication too early. In addition, the nurse has an obli-gation to the patient to administer the pain medication; not doing so violates the patient's rights. The nurse can rely on the patient's report to determine the need for pain medication. As long as the timing is suitable and the patient is stable, the nurse should administer the medication.
The nurse should use assessment data to support withholding pain medication in the presence of oversedation or another assessment that would be potentially aggravated by administering the pain medication. The nurse violates the patient's rights by stating that it is too soon for the me-dication and ignores the possibility that the patient's pain is real. Although the nurse may believe the patient is not having pain and is exhibiting drug-seeking behavior, the nurse must administer the medication. The nurse must administer the pain medication as requested. When patients are experiencing pain, most often, it is not the optimal time to teach patients. However, when the pa-tients pain is under control, the nurse should teach alternative comfort measures. Comfort meas-ures can be used to enhance the therapeutic effect of the medication and breakthrough pain.