The patient reports pain after surgery,ranking it 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.She tells the nurse,"I don't want to be all doped up.My family is coming to visit and I want to be alert enough to visit with them." Which of the following medications would likely be most effective for postoperative pain relief without excessive sedation?

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Ibuprofen is a nonsedating analgesic.This would be the best choice but the nurse should instruct the patient to call if the pain is not tolerable because a stronger analgesic may be needed.If the patient desires to be alert,an opioid analgesic would not be the best choice because it produces drowsiness.Hydrocodone and fentanyl are opioid agonists and,based on the patient's request to be alert,would not be the best choice.

The Patient Reports Pain After Surgery,ranking It 6 on a Scale