A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. When assessing the client, the nurse notes that the client's respiratory rate is 4. What should the nurse do first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A side effect of morphine is respiratory depression. In this situation, the nurse should first stop the PCA pump and then notify the physician. Naloxone is used to reverse the sedative effects of opioids, but this is not the first step.

A Nurse Is Caring for a Client Who Is Receiving