A woman in active labor is given nalbuphine hydrochloride (Nubain) 14 mg IV for pain relief. Half an hour later, her respirations are at 8 per minute. The physician would likely order which medication for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nalbuphine hydrochloride is an opioid agonist-antagonist and can cause respiratory depression, especially in high doses. Narcan (naloxone) is an opioid antagonist that can quickly reverse the respiratory depression caused by nalbuphine. Therefore, it is the likely medication that the physician would order in this scenario.

A Woman in Active Labor Is Given Nalbuphine Hydrochloride (Nubain)