Medication Administration PCA
A patient had extensive abdominal surgery for colon cancer earlier in the day and is receiving PCA. The patient's wife has repeatedly asked if the nurse can alleviate discomfort. The patient reports that pain is at a level of 5 out of 10. Which of the following should...
Medication Administration PCA
A patient had extensive abdominal surgery for colon cancer earlier in the day and is
receiving PCA. The patient's wife has repeatedly asked if the nurse can alleviate
discomfort. The patient reports that pain is at a level of 5 out of 10. Which of the
following should the nurse instruct the patient's spouse to do? - answer - Encourage
the patient to depress the button when feeling discomfort.
The patient should be encouraged to use the PCA to achieve pain control when he feels
discomfort. Pain is easier to prevent than it is to control. If the patient is sleeping, his
pain is likely at a lower level or relieved, so the nurse does not need to be alerted.
Family members should never push the PCA button for the patient unless instructed to
do so by the nurse or practitioner. The PCA is designed with safety features (e.g.,
lockout time), and the risk of overdose is minimal.
Which of the following statements about PCA for children is correct? - answer - The
child's developmental level, cognitive level, and motor skills should be considered.
When selecting children for PCA use, the child's developmental level, cognitive level,
and motor skills must be considered. Ordinarily, PCA use is safe and effective for
children as young as 5 years of age. Use of PCA is particularly effective with
adolescents because it leads to feelings of control. Even though doses may be
calibrated initially according to body surface area, doses may need to be adjusted to
obtain optimal analgesia with minimal adverse reactions. Family members and other
support people may be educated on how to manipulate the PCA device when patients
are unable to do so.
In addition to assessing the patient's characteristics of pain and previously successful
pain-management strategies, the nurse should assess which of the following before a
patient uses PCA? - answer - The patient's cognitive status
The nurse should assess the patient's cognitive status to determine if he or she is able
to use PCA for pain management. The family should be taught not to push the button
for the patient except in certain situations and under direction from the nurse or
practitioner. Nausea can be treated and should neither preclude the use of PCA nor be
the sole cause of its discontinuation. The patient's ability to ambulate should not be
seen as a measure of whether or not to use PCA. In fact, PCA may allow for easier and
earlier ambulation because of continual pain relief.
A postoperative patient is receiving PCA. Important nursing considerations in caring for
a patient receiving an opioid include assessing the sedation level. Which of the following
describes an appropriate sedation level? - answer - Awake and alert
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