The nurse assumes care of a patient who had surgery that morning. The provider has ordered hydrocodone (Lortab) every 4 hours for mild to moderate pain and morphine sulfate for moderate to severe pain
The nurse reviews the patient's record and notes the patient has received two doses of hydrocodone 4 hours apart for a pain level of 7 to 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 and has reported a decrease in pain to a level of 6 to 7 after 30 minutes. It has been 4 hours since the last dose, and the patient reports a pain level of 7. What will the nurse do?
a. Administer the hydrocodone.
b. Administer morphine.
c. Ask the patient which drug to give.
d. Notify the provider of the patient's current pain level.
ANS: B
The previous nurse has documented a poor response to pain medication given for mild to moderate pain. The nurse should administer the medication ordered for moderate to severe pain. Hydrocodone has not been effective and should not be given. The nurse bases the drug selection on the patient's evaluation of pain, not on which drug the patient wants. The provider has written an order with nursing evaluations specified, so there is no need for the nurse to notify the provider.
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