Nokea
A nurse is caring for a client with pain caused by terminal illness. The primary care provider has prescribed an opioid for the client. The nurse would be alert for the development of which of the following?
- A. Emphysema
- B. Alopecia
- C. Dehydration
- D. Severe anorexia
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse should monitor the client for severe anorexia, which is one of the adverse reactions of opioid analgesics on the GI system. Other adverse effects on the GI system include constipation, nausea, and acute abdominal pain. The nurse need not monitor the client for emphysema, alopecia, or severe headache.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse is assessing a client who is to receive an opioid analgesic. The nurse would contact the primary health care provider immediately if which of the following occur?
- A. Respiratory rate of less than 10 breaths/min
- B. Decrease in pulse
- C. Increase in pulse
- D. Increase in blood pressure
- E. Blood pressure of 90/65 mm Hg
Correct Answer: A,B,C,E
Rationale: The nurse should contact the primary health care provider immediately if any of the following occur while a client is receiving an opioid analgesic: significant decrease in respiratory rate or a respiratory rate less than 10 breaths/min; significant increase or decrease in the pulse rate or a change in the pulse quality; or significant decrease in blood pressure or a systolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg.
A client is receiving an opioid analgesic. Assessment reveals that his respiratory rate has dropped. Which of the following would the nurse expect to implement?
- A. Oxygen administration
- B. Coaching of the client to breathe
- C. Discontinuation of the opioid analgesic
- D. Naloxone administration
- E. Albuterol administration
Correct Answer: B,D
Rationale: Coaching the client to breathe and administering naloxone (in severe cases) are appropriate measures used to treat a drop in respiratory rate in a client receiving an opioid analgesic. Oxygen would have little effect if the client's rate has dropped. The opioid would not be discontinued. Albuterol would be used if the client was experiencing bronchospasms.
A group of nursing students are reviewing information about epidural pain management with opioid analgesics. The students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which of the following as an advantage over other routes of administration?
- A. Longer time to tolerance development
- B. Lower total dose of opioid
- C. Fewer adverse reactions
- D. Greater client comfort
- E. Decreased demand on nursing staff
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: Epidural administration offers several advantages over other routes of administration for opioid analgesics, including lower total dosages of the drug used, fewer adverse reactions, and greater client comfort.
A client is prescribed oxymorphone. The client is also receiving promethazine. The nurse would carefully monitor which of the following?
- A. Temperature
- B. Blood pressure
- C. Pulse
- D. Respiratory rate
- E. Blood glucose
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: The nurse should take care to closely monitor a client's blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate when oxymorphone is administered with promethazine.
A nurse is caring for a newborn. The newborn's mother is suspected to be opioid dependent. When assessing the newborn, which of the following would alert nurse to the possibility of withdrawal?
- A. Jaundice
- B. Increased respiratory rate
- C. Decreased respiratory rate
- D. Sneezing
- E. Fever
Correct Answer: B,D,E
Rationale: Opiate withdrawal symptoms in a newborn usually appear during the first few days of life and include irritability, excessive crying, yawning, sneezing, increased respiratory rate, tremors, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.