A nurse is teaching a patient about patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Which statement made by the patient indicates to the nurse that teaching is effective?

Question

a. "I will only need to be on this pain medication."
b. "I feel less anxiety about the possibility of overdosing."
c. "I can receive the pain medication as frequently as I need to."
d. "I need the nurse to notify me when it is time for another dose."

Answer 1

ANS: B
A PCA is a device that allows the patient to determine the level of pain relief delivered, reducing the risk of overdose. The PCA infusion pumps are designed to deliver a specific dose that is programmed to be available at specific time intervals (usually in the range of 8 to 15 minutes) when the patient activates the delivery button. A limit on the number of doses per hour or 4-hour interval may also be set. This can help decrease a patient's anxiety related to possible overdose. Its use also often eases anxiety because the patient is not reliant on the nurse for pain relief. Other medications, such as oral analgesics, can be given in addition to the PCA machine. One benefit of PCA is that the patient does not need to rely on the nurse to administer pain medication; the patient determines when to take the medication.