Which action will the nurse take when a patient receiving morphine sulfate via percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PCA) has a shallow, irregular respiratory rate of 6 breaths/min?
a. Elevate the patient's head of bed to facilitate lung expansion.
b. Increase the patient's primary intravenous (IV) flow rate.
c. Complete the FLACC scale.
d. Notify the health care provider and prepare to administer naloxone (Narcan).
ANS: D
The patient is exhibiting signs of respiratory depression. Administration of the antidote naloxone would be the most appropriate nursing intervention. Lung expansion or increasing the primary IV infusion rate would not relieve respiratory depression. Assessing the patient's pain at this point is a lesser priority than treating the respiratory depression.
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