The practical nurse (PN) reviews instructions for use of polyethylene glycol with a client scheduled for a colonoscopy. Which instruction should the PN include?

Choice A reason: Taking a benzodiazepine with morphine is incorrect, as it increases sedation and respiratory depression risk, a dangerous opioid side effect. This indicates misunderstanding, as morphine’s primary management focuses on pain and side effects like constipation, not concurrent sedative use.

Choice B reason: Observing bowel movements and using a stool softener shows understanding, as morphine causes constipation by slowing gastrointestinal motility via opioid receptors. Proactive management with stool softeners prevents complications like impaction, aligning with safe opioid use in cancer pain management.

Choice C reason: Grapefruit juice avoidance is irrelevant to morphine, as it affects drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, not opioids. Morphine is metabolized via glucuronidation, unaffected by grapefruit. This indicates misunderstanding, as it does not address morphine’s key side effects or management.

Choice D reason: Watching for agitation or insomnia is not a primary concern with morphine, which causes sedation. These symptoms may relate to other conditions, but they do not reflect understanding of morphine’s effects, like constipation, making this choice incorrect.

Choice A reason: Gum appearance is unrelated to carbamazepine’s side effects or sore throat. While some antiseizure drugs cause gingival hyperplasia, carbamazepine does not, and gum assessment does not clarify the sore throat’s cause, which may indicate infection or agranulocytosis, making this choice irrelevant.

Choice B reason: Bowel sounds assess gastrointestinal function, not relevant to a sore throat or carbamazepine’s effects. Sore throat may signal agranulocytosis, a rare side effect, but bowel sounds do not provide data on infection or hematologic issues, making this choice inappropriate.

Choice C reason: Carotid pulse volume evaluates cardiovascular status but is unrelated to sore throat or carbamazepine’s side effects. Sore throat may indicate infection or agranulocytosis, requiring systemic assessment like temperature, not vascular checks, making this choice irrelevant for the reported symptom.

Choice D reason: Temperature is critical, as sore throat may indicate infection or agranulocytosis, a rare but serious carbamazepine side effect causing low white blood cells. Fever suggests infection, necessitating urgent reporting. This assessment provides key data to differentiate causes, guiding timely intervention.