Which instruction will the nurse give to the patient about proper use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)?
The PCA will give additional pain medication whenever the button is pushed.
The PCA will deliver medication through the IV until the pain is all gone.
You or a designated family member are the only one who gets to push the PCA button-nobody else may do so.
Wait until the pain becomes severe before pushing the PCA button.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: This is incorrect. The PCA will not give additional pain medication whenever the button is pushed. The PCA is programmed to deliver a specific dose of pain medication at a specific interval. If the button is pushed before the interval is over, the PCA will not release any medication. This is to prevent overdose and side effects.
Choice B reason: This is incorrect. The PCA will not deliver medication through the IV until the pain is all gone. The PCA is designed to provide pain relief, not pain elimination. The PCA has a limit on how much medication it can deliver in a certain period of time. The patient may still have some pain even after using the PCA.
Choice C reason: This is correct. You or a designated family member are the only one who gets to push the PCA button-nobody else may do so. The PCA is intended to give the patient control over their pain management. The patient should push the button when they feel pain, not when someone else thinks they need it. Allowing others to push the button can lead to under- or over-medication, which can be harmful.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect. Wait until the pain becomes severe before pushing the PCA button is not a good instruction. The PCA is more effective when the patient pushes the button before the pain becomes too intense. Waiting too long can make the pain harder to control and require more medication. The patient should use the PCA as needed to keep the pain at a tolerable level.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: This is incorrect. Making sure that the earpieces fit loosely in the nurse’s ear canals will not help the nurse hear the heartbeat more clearly. Loose earpieces can let in ambient noise and reduce the sound quality.
Choice B reason: This is incorrect. Utilizing a stethoscope with the longest possible tubing will not help the nurse hear the heartbeat more clearly. Long tubing can reduce the sound transmission and create interference.
Choice C reason: This is correct. Placing the diaphragm firmly against the patient’s skin will help the nurse hear the heartbeat more clearly. The diaphragm is the flat circular part of the chest piece that is used to listen to low-pitched sounds, such as the heart. Firm pressure creates a good seal and blocks out external noise.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect. Positioning the bell very lightly over the patient’s sternum will not help the nurse hear the heartbeat more clearly. The bell is the small cup-shaped part of the chest piece that is used to listen to high-pitched sounds, such as the lungs. Light pressure is needed to avoid activating the diaphragm, but the sternum is not the best location to listen to the apical pulse.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: This is incorrect. Hydromorphone 0.5 mg IV is not the best option for providing consistent control of the patient's chronic pain. Hydromorphone is a potent opioid analgesic that can relieve severe pain, but it has a short duration of action. It is given intravenously, which means it has a rapid onset and peak, but also a rapid decline and elimination. The patient may experience fluctuations in pain relief and need frequent doses.
Choice B reason: This is correct. Fentanyl transdermal patch 25 mcg is the best option for providing consistent control of the patient's chronic pain. Fentanyl is a potent opioid analgesic that can relieve severe pain, but it has a long duration of action. It is given transdermally, which means it is absorbed through the skin and released slowly and steadily into the bloodstream. The patient may experience continuous and stable pain relief and need less frequent doses.
Choice C reason: This is incorrect. Fentanyl oral lozenge 200 mcg is not the best option for providing consistent control of the patient's chronic pain. Fentanyl is a potent opioid analgesic that can relieve severe pain, but it has a short duration of action. It is given orally, which means it has to pass through the digestive system and the liver before reaching the bloodstream. The patient may experience delayed and variable pain relief and need frequent doses.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect. Morphine sulfate liquid 10 mg is not the best option for providing consistent control of the patient's chronic pain. Morphine is a moderate opioid analgesic that can relieve moderate to severe pain, but it has a short duration of action. It is given orally, which means it has to pass through the digestive system and the liver before reaching the bloodstream. The patient may experience delayed and variable pain relief and need frequent doses.
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