A patient is brought to the emergency department after ingesting an overdose of an opioid several hours prior. The patient has a respiratory rate of 6 to 10 breaths per minute and is unconscious. The nurse will prepare to perform which action?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is showing signs of opioid overdose, which includes respiratory depression and unconsciousness. Naloxone (Narcan) is the antidote for opioid overdose and should be administered to reverse the effects of the opioid. Administering activated charcoal or performing gastric lavage would be ineffective at this point since several hours have passed since the ingestion of the opioid. Flumazenil (Romazicon) is the antidote for benzodiazepine overdose, not opioid overdose.

A Patient Is Brought to the Emergency Department After Ingesting