The nurse is caring for a patient with prostate cancer with metastasis to S-1 and the adjacent nerve root. The patient complains of unrelenting pain. When collaborating with the provider, the nurse would advocate for which example of balanced analgesia?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is experiencing neuropathic pain due to the cancer metastasis to the nerve root, which is best treated with a combination of opioid analgesics and a medication that targets neuropathic pain, such as gabapentin. This approach is known as balanced analgesia and is often used in the management of cancer pain. Using escalating doses of opioids per the WHO analgesic ladder may not adequately target neuropathic pain, while using an opioid around the clock without addressing neuropathic pain may not fully relieve the patient's pain. Beginning with the first step of the analgesic ladder as described by the WHO may not provide sufficient pain relief for the patient's advanced cancer pain.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient with Prostate Cancer