PCA & Epidurals Exam Questions With 100% Correct Answers 2024/2025

PCA & Epidurals Exam Questions With 100% Correct Answers 2024/2025 1) More satisfactory pain relief for patient (relief before pain gets too bad) 2) shorten's hospital stay 3) better able to deep breath and ambulate which means less post-op complications 4) Patient maintains control over pain 5) patients use LESS pain medication on PCA 6)reduced Nurse time/intervention by reduces the number of IM/IV administrations required - answerWhat are the advantages of PCA and epidural analgesia? (Name 6) Potential overdosing caused by: 1) Not good/dangerous for some patients (i.e. * children UNDER 5 years of age; * OLD, CONFUSED patients; * OBESE patients; * patients with SLEEP APNEA; * patients with RESPIRATORY ISSUES; * patients who are taking DRUGS THAT CAN POTENTIATE the effect of their medication such as muscle relaxants, anti-emetics or sleep medication 2) PCA by proxy (i.e. perhaps when the patient is already sedated, someone other than the patient can push the button and deliver the medication, for example the over concerned partner or family member) 3) pump problems 4) human errors - answerName 3 concerns / safety issues related to PCA / epidural use. The prescribed and programmes LOCKOUT interval prevents overdosing as the PCA device prevents more than a specified dose being delivered within the LOCKOUT time interval. - answerDiscuss principles and safety features of PCA / epidural pump operation. 8. - answerDescribe safe and competent nursing care of the client receiving PCA/ epidural analgesia 1) The nurse monitors how many times the patient pushes the PCA button. If the patient pushes the button more than twice the prescribed dose interval either the DOSE is increased if possible, OR the DOSE INTERVAL is shortened. The results of these assessments are reviewed daily. - answerDescribe the nursing assessments that monitor client response to PCA/epidural analgesia. 1) Vital signs (VS) 2) pain rating 3) type of pain 4) oxygen saturation 5) mental status 6) level of sedation 7) adverse reactions such as itching or nausea - answerWhat are some nursing assessments to monitor a client receiving PCA/ epidural analgesia nurses should: 1) maintain be proficient using the PCA pumps in the facility 2) PCA orders should always be written on PREPRINTED order sets 3) develop a list of patients who are good candidates for PCA and those who are NOT 4) When initiating PCA, transferring a patient to a new unit, or restarting or changing the dosage the pump TWO nurses must INDEPENDENTLY verify the patient ID, drug and concentration, pump settings and the line and site where the PCA will be infused. - answerName some nursing interventions to help ensure patient safety when receiving epidural analgesia. 1) ↑ BP & ↑ HR (a stress response) 2) ↑Blood Glucose (a stress response) 3) ↑ respirations and sometimes shallow breathing (a stress response) 4) ↑ ability of blood to clot (a stress response) 5) ↓ disturbed/deprived SLEEP - answerWhat are the negative physiological consequences of Pain? (Name 5) 1) Medication name 2) dose 3) concentration 4) demand (bolus) dose interval: This is measured in the TIME between each doses. For example 1 dose per 8 minutes 5) LOCK OUT interval: the ordered time within which the PCA will NOT release any more than the prescribed dosage. 6) nursing interventions