The nurse assumes care of a patient who had surgery that morning. The provider has ordered hydrocodone (Lortab) every 4 hours for mild to moderate pain and morphine sulfate for moderate to severe pain. The nurse reviews the patient's record and notes the patient has received two doses of hydrocodone 4 hours apart for a pain level of 7 to 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 and has reported a decrease in pain to a level of 6 to 7 after 30 minutes. It has been 4 hours since the last dose, and the patient reports a pain level of 7. What will the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Based on the patient's pain level of 7, which is categorized as moderate pain, the provider has ordered morphine sulfate for moderate to severe pain. The patient has already received two doses of hydrocodone, and there has been no further decrease in pain level. Administering another dose of hydrocodone may not provide adequate pain relief for the patient. Therefore, the best course of action is to administer the prescribed medication for moderate to severe pain, which is morphine sulfate.

The Nurse Assumes Care of a Patient Who Had Surgery