chapter 12 Flashcards
What types of drugs have the main purpose of relieving pain?
a. Anticholinergics
b. Antagonists
c. Analgesics
d. Agonists
c. Analgesics
The healthcare provider asks you to rate a patient’s postoperative pain. What is your best
response?
a. “He is asleep now, so his pain level is acceptable.”
b. “I think we need to ask the patient to rate his own pain.”
c. “His wife says he can still feel the incision when he turns or coughs.”
d. “Since he received 15 mg of morphine an hour ago, his pain is probably minimal.”
b. “I think we need to ask the patient to rate his own pain.”
You are caring for a patient who is paralyzed from the waist down and has a large open
wound on her right heel. When asked about her pain in that foot, she tells you it is a 0 on a 0 to 10 pain rating scale. What does this response indicate?
a. The paralysis prevents her brain from perceiving the pain.
b. The patient has chronic pain that does not trigger the stress response.
c. She is afraid of becoming addicted if she takes the prescribed drug too often.
d. This patient’s acute pain has been effectively managed by the prescribed pain drug.
a. The paralysis prevents her brain from perceiving the pain.
Why are natural and synthetic opioids considered “high-alert drugs?”
b. They have a relatively high potential for addiction or abuse.
c. There is wide variation in the dosages between opioid types.
d. They can be given by a variety of routes.
b. They have a relatively high potential for addiction or abuse.
When you assess a patient’s pain level an hour after giving 2 mg of hydromorphone
intravenously, you find the patient sleeping with a respiratory rate of 10 breaths per minute.
What is your best first action?
a. Give naloxone intravenously.
b. Document the finding as the only action.
c. Notify the healthcare provider immediately.
d. Assess the patient’s oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry.
d. Assess the patient’s oxygen saturation with pulse oximetry.
A patient being discharged to home is prescribed an oxycodone–acetaminophen
combination for pain management. Which precaution is most important to teach this patient?
a. “If you still need this drug after 48 hours, notify your healthcare provider
immediately.”
b. “Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat foods high in fiber to prevent
constipation.”
c. “Always go to bed immediately after taking a dose of this drug.”
d. “Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this drug.”
d. “Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this drug.”
You accidentally give a patient 30 mg orally of hydromorphone instead of the ordered
hydrocodone. What is your first best action?
a. Notify the RN in charge immediately.
b. Induce the patient to vomit immediately.
c. Assess the patient’s vital signs immediately.
d. Follow your agency’s policy for documenting a drug error.
a. Notify the RN in charge immediately.
When assessing the blood pressure of a patient receiving pentazocine 30 mg orally for pain
control two days after surgery, the reading is 166/100, which is much higher than the
patient’s presurgical blood pressure. What is your best action?
a. Assess the patient for other symptoms of addiction or dependency.
b. Give the next dose of the drug as prescribed.
c. Assess the patient for other cardiac changes.
d. Document the change as the only action.
c. Assess the patient for other cardiac changes.
How does tramadol help control pain?
a. Binding to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain
b. Reducing the inflammatory substances at the site of injury to inhibit the actual
cause of the pain
c. Binding to adrenergic receptors in the spinal cord preventing pain signals from
reaching the brain
d. Inhibiting the generation of nerve impulses along the peripheral sensory nerves to
alter the transmission of pain
c. Binding to adrenergic receptors in the spinal cord preventing pain signals from
reaching the brain
Which health problem is a severe adverse reaction to chronic acetaminophen therapy?
a. Asthma
b. Diabetes
c. Liver toxicity
d. Excessive bleeding
c. Liver toxicity
The postoperative orders for a large adult patient who has just arrived on your unit after
major abdominal surgery reads morphine 15 mg IM every 4 to 6 h as needed for pain. What
is the best schedule for pain relief during the first postoperative day for this patient?
a. Ask the patient every 4 to 6 h whether any drug for pain is needed.
b. Give the drug automatically every 4 h around the clock for the 24 h.
c. Give the drug automatically every 6 h around the clock for the first 24 h.
d. Wait until the patient rates the pain at an 8 or higher on a 0 to 10 pain rating scale
before giving any dose of the prescribed drug.
b. Give the drug automatically every 4 h around the clock for the 24 h.
Which of the following assessments is most important to perform on a patient newly
prescribed to take cyclobenzaprine for severe muscle pain?
a. Respiratory rate
b. Deep tendon reflexes
c. Blood pressure and heart rate
d. Muscle strength and coordination
c. Blood pressure and heart rate
Which patient should be assessed closely for complications of pain management with
methocarbamol?
a. 75-year-old man with benign prostatic hyperplasia
b. 55-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes
c. 34-year-old woman with a peanut allergy
d. 17-year-old teenager who is near-sighted
a. 75-year-old man with benign prostatic hyperplasia
