A lumbar puncture is needed on a school-age child. What should the nurse apply to provide the most appropriate analgesia during this procedure?
A) TAC (tetracaine-adrenaline-cocaine) 15 minutes
B) Transdermal fentanyl (Duragesic) patch immediately
C) EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) 1 hour
D) EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) 30 minutes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

EMLA is an effective analgesic agent when applied to the skin 60 minutes before a procedure. It eliminates or reduces the pain from most procedures involving skin puncture. TAC provides skin anesthesia about 15 minutes after application to nonintact skin. The gel can be placed on the wound for suturing. Transdermal fentanyl patches are useful for continuous pain control, not rapid pain control. For maximal effectiveness, EMLA must be applied approximately 60 minutes in advance.

A Lumbar Puncture Is Needed on a School-Age Child