A nurse cares for an alert patient with cancer who has been on large doses of opioids for several months
When the patient is hospitalized and placed on patient-controlled analgesia with morphine, the nurse is concerned about the risk of respiratory depression. The primary nursing action should be which of the following interventions?
a. Administer naloxone (Narcan) prophylactically.
b. Obtain an arterial blood gas measurement at least once per shift.
c. Measure respiratory pattern and oxygen saturation initially and periodically throughout treatment.
d. Assess level of consciousness and compare to previous day.
ANS: C
One of the best indications that respiratory depression has occurred would be measurement of the baseline respiratory pattern and oxygen saturation and periodic monitoring throughout the duration of treatment.
Narcan is never administered prophylactically.
Arterial blood gases are not indicated as an initial measure of respiratory depression.
Assessment of level of consciousness is not indicated, because the information states the patient is alert.
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