A 67-year-old woman presents at the emergency department with symptoms that suggest possible abuse of a narcotic analgesic.To best assure the patient's safe care,the nurse asks:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

First,if prescription drug abuse is suspected,the nurse should ask the patient or a family member to identify all medications that the patient is currently using.The nurse and physician can then plan for safe detoxification.In addition,the physician can try to prevent any untoward drug interactions resulting from prescribing a new medication that is contraindicated because of an existing prescription.

A 67-Year-Old Woman Presents at the Emergency Department with Symptoms