The nurse is caring for a client with deep partial-thickness burns who is anxious about the upcoming dressing change, is in severe pain, and is nauseated. Which of the following actions will be most useful in decreasing the client's nausea?
A)The client NPO for 2 hours before and after dressing changes.
B)Avoid performing dressing changes close to the client's mealtimes.
C)Administer the prescribed morphine sulphate before dressing changes.
D)Give the ordered prochlorperazine before dressing changes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's nausea is associated with stress and severe pain; therefore the best treatment will be to provide adequate pain medication before dressing changes. The nurse should avoid doing painful procedures close to mealtimes, but nausea or vomiting that occurs at other times also should be addressed. Keeping the client NPO does not address the reason for the nausea and vomiting and will have an adverse effect on the client's nutrition.
Administration of antiemetics is not the best choice for a client with nausea caused by pain.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Client with Deep Partial-Thickness