A patient in pain requests the prescribed pain medication, which is an opioid. Which nursing assessment is essential before administering the opioid?

Blood pressure

Temperature

Pulse

Respiratory

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Blood pressure matters but isn’t primary; opioids rarely cause acute hypotension initially, and respiratory depression is a more immediate life-threatening risk.

Choice B reason: Temperature is unrelated; opioids don’t primarily affect fever, and this assessment doesn’t address the critical safety concern of opioid administration.

Choice C reason: Pulse is secondary; opioids may slow heart rate mildly, but respiratory suppression is the urgent risk, requiring priority monitoring before dosing.

Choice D reason: Respiratory rate is critical; opioids depress the brainstem, risking apnea, and assessing breathing ensures safety before administering this high-risk medication.

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Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Lisinopril is the generic name; trade names are branded, and this doesn’t fit the question’s focus on the manufacturer’s marketed title.

Choice B reason: Zestril is the trade name for lisinopril; it’s trademarked by the manufacturer, aligning with the question’s request for the branded medication name.

Choice C reason: Acetaminophen is a generic, not a trade name here; it’s unrelated to Zestril’s class (ACE inhibitor), making it an incorrect option.

Choice D reason: Morphine is a generic opioid; it doesn’t match Zestril’s antihypertensive role or trade name status, ruling it out entirely.

A. Lungs B. Liver C. Kidney D. Colon

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Lungs excrete volatile drugs like anesthetics; most medications aren’t metabolized here, as they lack the cytochrome enzymes needed for broad drug breakdown.

Choice B reason: The liver is the primary site; cytochrome P450 enzymes metabolize most drugs, converting them into active or excretable forms, critical for pharmacokinetics.

Choice C reason: Kidneys excrete metabolites; they filter, not metabolize, most drugs, relying on prior liver processing, making them secondary in the metabolic pathway.

Choice D reason: The colon absorbs some drugs but doesn’t metabolize most; its role is minimal compared to the liver’s extensive enzymatic drug transformation capacity.

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A patient in pain requests the prescribed pain medication, which is an opioid. Which nursing assessment is essential before administering the opioid?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Using the label, what is the trade name of the medication? (No label provided; assuming Zestril from prior context.)

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

When administering medications, a nurse must know a client's medical history and pharmacokinetics of prescribed medications because most drugs are metabolized in the:

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

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