A patient with myocardial infarction is treated with intravenous morphine sulfate for chest pain.Which nursing action has the highest priority when administering this medication?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The highest priority when administering morphine sulfate is to determine the patient's sedation level as it is a potent opioid analgesic that can cause respiratory depression which can be life-threatening. Monitoring the patient's sedation levels can help prevent overdosing or adverse effects of the medication. Checking breath sounds, observing for signs of opioid addiction, and assessing for medication infiltration into tissues are important nursing actions, but they are not the highest priority in this situation.

A Patient with Myocardial Infarction Is Treated with Intravenous Morphine