The nurse discharges a patient from the ambulatory surgical center with a prescription for an opioid analgesic.The patient can take the medication every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain.What does the nurse include in patient teaching about the prescription before discharging the patient?

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The nurse instructs the patient to wait 4 to 6 hours between doses avoid serious effects of opioid analgesics,including respiratory depression.The nurse encourages the patient to take an analgesic when the pain is mild because the medication will be more effective.Opioids have little to do with healing; however,if the patient has a thoracotomy or an abdominal incision,opioid analgesia is usually needed to facilitate coughing and deep breathing.

The Nurse Discharges a Patient from the Ambulatory Surgical Center