When the nurse visits a hospice patient, the patient has a respiratory rate of 8 breaths/minute and complains of severe pain. Which action is best for the nurse to take?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The goal of opioid use in terminally ill patients is effective pain relief regardless of adverse effects such as respiratory depression. A nonopioid analgesic like ibuprofen would not provide adequate analgesia or be absorbed quickly. The rule of double effect provides ethical justification for administering an increased morphine dose to provide effective pain control even though the morphine may further decrease the patient's respiratory rate.

When the Nurse Visits a Hospice Patient, the Patient Has