A patient has had a biopsy of the left leg and has pain unrelieved by morphine 5 mg intramuscularly given 1.5 hours ago. The morphine is ordered every 3 hours. What should the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's pain is unrelieved by the currently prescribed dose of morphine and is due for another dose in 1.5 hours. Therefore, the nurse should notify the registered nurse to reassess the patient's pain and consider adjusting the dose or frequency of morphine or trying a different medication to manage the pain. A potential adverse reaction or complication may also be considered. Elevating the extremity may not address the underlying cause of the pain, and repeating the morphine now would be giving a dose too soon. Administering morphine in 30 minutes would still be before the scheduled time for the next dose.

A Patient Has Had a Biopsy of the Left Leg