A nurse is planning care for a client who is receiving enteral feedings through a nasogastric (NG) tube. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take first?

- Step 1: Identify the required dose in milligrams (mg). The nurse is scheduled to administer 2 mg of morphine sulfate.

- Step 2: Identify the concentration of the available solution. The available solution contains 10 mg of morphine sulfate per 1 mL.

- Step 3: Calculate the volume of solution needed to deliver the required dose. We can set up a proportion to solve for this:

- 10 mg is to 1 mL as 2 mg is to X mL.

- In other words, 10 mg : 1 mL = 2 mg : X mL.

- Step 4: Solve for X using cross-multiplication and division:

- Cross-multiplication gives us: 10 mg × X mL = 2 mg × 1 mL.

- Simplifying this gives us: 10X = 2.

- Dividing both sides by 10 gives us: X = 2 ÷ 10.

- Calculating the division gives us: X = 0.2.

So, the nurse should administer 0.2 mL of the morphine sulfate solution per dose.

Choice A reason: Atropine is not typically used for the treatment of pulmonary embolism. It is an anticholinergic drug that is primarily used to treat bradycardia (slow heart rate) and as part of the management of organophosphate poisoning. It does not have a role in the management of pulmonary embolism, which requires anticoagulation to prevent further clot formation.

Choice B reason: Furosemide is a loop diuretic commonly used to treat fluid overload conditions such as heart failure or edema. While it can help relieve symptoms associated with fluid accumulation, it does not treat the underlying cause of a pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot in the pulmonary arteries.

Choice C reason: Heparin is an anticoagulant medication that is commonly used in the initial treatment of pulmonary embolism. It works by preventing the formation of new blood clots and stopping existing clots from getting bigger. Heparin is often administered intravenously or subcutaneously and is a key component in the management of pulmonary embolism.

Choice D reason: Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that is used to reduce inflammation in various conditions, such as allergic reactions, asthma, and certain types of arthritis. It is not used as a primary treatment for pulmonary embolism, as it does not have anticoagulant properties.