Pharmacology and the Nursing Process 7th Edition by Linda Lane Lilley, Shelly Rainforth Collins, Julie S. Snyder

Exercise 30

A patient is receiving an opioid via a PCA pump as part of his postoperative pain management program. During rounds, the nurse finds him unresponsive, with respirations of 8 breaths/min and blood pressure of 102/58 mm Hg. After stopping the opioid infusion, what should the nurse do next?
A)Notify the charge nurse
B)Draw arterial blood gases
C)Administer an opiate antagonist per standing orders
D)Perform a thorough assessment, including mental status examination