A nurse is providing discharge teaching for a patient with a fractured humerus. The patient is going home with hydrocodone. Which important patient education does the nurse provide?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A common side effect of opioid analgesics is constipation. Therefore, the nurse encourages the patient to drink fluids and eat fiber to prevent constipation. Although medications can be irritating to the stomach, eating a diet high in fat does not prevent gastric ulcers. To best manage pain, the patient needs to take pain medication before painful procedures or activities or before pain becomes severe. As the patient's pain gets better, the strength of the medications will decrease. IM, IV, and topical analgesics are used for more severe and chronic pain.

A Nurse Is Providing Discharge Teaching for a Patient with a Fractured