A patient presents to the emergency department with a large leg laceration received in a bicycle accident

Question

The nurse knows that the physician or health care provider chose a local anesthetic because of which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
a. The patient appears very apprehensive.
b. It has very few side effects.
c. The potential for hemorrhage precludes the use of IV anesthesia.
d. It produces temporary loss of sensation by inhibiting nerve conduction.
e. It allows sedative effects to calm the patient.

Answer 1

B, D
Health care providers use local anesthetic (e.g., lidocaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine) during brief surgical procedures such as removing a skin lesion or suturing a wound. The drugs produce temporary loss of sensation by inhibiting nerve conduction. Local anesthetics also block motor and autonomic functions, depending on the amount used and the location and depth of an injection. Smaller sensory nerve fibers are more sensitive to local anesthetics than large motor fibers. Thus a patient loses sensation before losing motor function; conversely motor function returns before sensation. Local anesthetics cause side effects, depending on their absorption into the circulation. Itching or burning of the skin or a localized rash is common after topical applications. Apprehension can be alleviated when a nurse uses guided imagery. This patient is a candidate for local anesthesia because a specific body part needs to be localized. Epidural Analgesia has the occurrence of minimal sedation.