The nurse is working in a pediatric surgical unit. The nurse would expect that patient-controlled analgesia would be most appropriate for which patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) would be most appropriate for the twelve-year-old who is postoperative for spinal fusion for scoliosis. This is because PCA allows the patient to self-administer pain medication as needed, which can help to manage postoperative pain and improve overall pain control. However, PCA may not be suitable for a younger child (such as the five-year-old), or for a patient who is developmentally delayed and may have difficulty understanding how to use the PCA pump (such as the sixteen-year-old). The ten-year-old with a fractured femur and concussion may benefit from PCA, but other factors (such as the severity of the concussion and the need for close neurological monitoring) may also influence the choice of pain management option.

The Nurse Is Working in a Pediatric Surgical Unit