Question

T.M, a 72 year old female was admitted to the medical-surgical floor for abdominal pain. The nurse is reviewing the orders and sees that the patient is scheduled for surgery (a laparotomy) in the morning. The nurse discusses post-op orders with the patient. The provider prescribes morphine.

Why was morphine ordered?

What are the nursing considerations for patients who are prescribed morphine? What are your concerns? Explain your answer.

Would a PCA pump be appropriate for this patient? Explain your answer. What are the advantages of patient controlled analgesia?

T.M asks if he can have aspirin for his headache- that's what usually helps at home. How would you respond? Explain your answer.

Due to low urinary output, T.M stays in the hospital for 2 days. After clear diagnostic renal workup, T.M is discharged with a prescription for acetaminophen.

   5. What drug classification is acetaminophen? How does it work?What are the nursing considerations and patient teaching for acetaminophen?

Answer 1

Why was morphine ordered?

Morphine is used to relieve moderate-to-severe pain. Preoperative administration of morphine helps in reducing the physiological consequences of the nervous system's response to potentially harmful stimuli (nociceptive transmission) stimulated by invasive procedures and alleviate the patients’ postoperative pain. More than short-acting opioids like fentanyl, a single dose of morphine has the capacity to reduce pain and has longlasting effects. It is much more convenient and safer than adopting sedative drugs for morphine's relatively slight effect on patients’ respiratory and circulatory function.

What are the nursing considerations for patients who are prescribed morphine? What are your concerns? Explain your answer.

• Patient may feel nauseous
• Provide adrquate hydration
• Monitor the respiratory rate and blood pressure
• Being old age the patient should be closely monitored for shortness of breath, pauses in breathing , and hypotension

Would a PCA pump be appropriate for this patient? Explain your answer. What are the advantages of patient controlled analgesia?

Patient-controlled analgesia pump, which contains a syringe of pain medication as prescribed. It is connected directly to a patient's intravenous line. The pump is set to deliver constant dosage of pain medication. PCA is useful for a patient trembling in pain. Optimal pain reduction is the basic need of the patient . Using PCA helps in effective delivery of morphine and also reduces anxiety in patient and vitals are monitored easily.

T.M asks if he can have aspirin for his headache- that's what usually helps at home. How would you respond? Explain your answer.

There is no need of aspirin because already he is receiving morphine which helps in relieving pain and also makes him relaxed.