The nurse is evaluating a patient 2 hours after giving a dose of 30 mg of codeine with acetaminophen for postoperative pain after abdominal surgery.The patient reports a pain level of 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.The nurse notes a heart rate of 110 beats per minute,a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute,and a blood pressure of 180/90 mm Hg.Which action will the nurse take?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is showing signs of moderate to severe pain unrelieved by codeine,so the nurse should request a more potent opioid analgesic such as oxycodone.Codeine is effective for mild to moderate pain so will not be effective for this patient even if the dose is increased.The medication should not be given more frequently than every 4 hours.Ibuprofen is used for musculoskeletal pain and not postoperative pain.

The Nurse Is Evaluating a Patient 2 Hours After Giving