NCLEX Questions and Answers for Analgesics

NCLEX Questions and Answers for Analgesics A client in the ICU who sustained a traumatic abdominal injury 1 week ago continues to complain of severe pain. The nurse notes his vital signs are normal. Which of the following would be appropriate for the nurse to do? a.) Encourage early return to ambulation. b.) Offer nonnarcotic analgesics for pain. c.) Utilize distraction d.) Provide the client with pain medication. - ANS -D.) Provide the client with pain medication. A client who incurred an arm injury describes his pain as "sharp and localized to the lower arm." The nurse recognizes that this type of pain would be relieved best by administration of which type of medication? (Select all that apply) a.) Muscle relaxant b.) Acetaminophen c.) Narcotic analgesics d.) NSAIDs - ANS -c.) Narcotic analgesics d.) NSAIDs Injury to tissues produces nociceptor pain, which usually responds to conventional analgesic pain medications such as opiates or NSAIDS. A nurse administers naloxone (Narcan) to a postoperative patient experiencing respiratory sedation. What undesirable effect would the nurse anticipate after giving this medication? A) Drowsiness B) Tics and tremors C) Increased pain D) Nausea and vomiting - ANS -C) Increased pain Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of narcotics. Although the patient's respiratory status will improve after the administration of naloxone, pain will be more acute. A nurse is caring for a cancer patient receiving subcutaneous morphine sulfate for pain. Which of the following nursing actions is most important in the care of this patient? A. Monitor urine output. B. Monitor respiratory rate. C. Monitor heart rate. D. Monitor temperature. - ANS -Answer: B Morphine sulfate can suppress respiration and respiratory reflexes, such as cough. Patients should be monitored regularly for these effects to avoid respiratory compromise. Morphine sulfate does not significantly affect urine output, heart rate, or body temperature. A patient admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia asks the nurse, "Why am I receiving codeine? I don't have any pain." The nurse's response is based on the knowledge that codeine also has which effect? A) Immunostimulant B) Antitussive C) Expectorant D) Immunosuppressant - ANS -B) Antitussive Codeine provides both analgesic and antitussive therapeutic effects. A patient arrives at the emergency department complaining of back pain. He reports taking at least 3 acetaminophen tablets every three hours for the past week without relief. Which of the following symptoms suggests acetaminophen toxicity? A. Tinnitus. B. Diarrhea. C. Hypertension. D. Hepatic damage. - ANS -Answer: D Acetaminophen in even modestly large doses can cause serious liver damage that may result in death. Immediate evaluation of liver function is indicated with consideration of N-acetylcysteine administration as an antidote. Tinnitus is associated with ASPIRIN overdose, not acetaminophen. Diarrhea and hypertension are not associated with acetaminophen. A patient takes oxycodone (OxyContin), 40 mg PO twice daily, for the management of chronic pain. Which intervention should be added to the plan of care to minimize the gastrointestinal adverse effects? A) Take an antacid with each dose. B) Eat foods high in lactobacilli. C) Take the medication on an empty stomach. D) Increase fluid and fiber in the diet. - ANS -D) Increase fluid and fiber in the diet. Narcotic analgesics reduce intestinal motility, leading to constipation. Increasing fluid and fiber in the diet can help manage this adverse effect. A postoperative patient has an epidural infusion of morphine sulfate (Astramorph). The patient's respiratory rate declines to 8 breaths/min. Which medication would the nurse anticipate administering? A) Naloxone (Narcan) B) Acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) C) Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol) D) Protamine sulfate - ANS -A) Naloxone (Narcan) Naloxone is a narcotic antagonist that can reverse the effects, both adverse and therapeutic, of opioid narcotic analgesics. A resident of the nursing home has quite severe arthritis. When administering an analgesic to this elderly resident, the nurse should: a. Give the medication before the activity session in the day room b. Give the medication when the resident states the pain is at 6 or higher on a 1-10 pain scale c. Give the pain medication at mealtime d. Make sure that the medication is not a narcotic - ANS -a. Give the medication before the activity session in the day room. An elderly client had abdominal surgery six hours earlier. When the nurse asks the client about pain, the client responds that there is none. The best intervention on the part of the nurse is: a. Administer a PRN dose of IV pain medication as ordered. b. Assist the client into a sitting position in preparation for ambulation. c. Question the client further about discomfort to assess the meaning of pain. d. Assess the abdominal dressing and consult the surgeon about findings. - ANS -c. Question the client further about discomfort to assess the meaning of pain. Naloxone (Narcan) is administered to a client with severe respiratory depression and suspected drug overdose. After 20 minutes, the client remains unresponsive. The most likely explanation for this is: a.) The client did not use an opioid drug. b.) The dose of naloxone was inadequate. c.) The client is resistant to this drug. d.) The drug overdose is irreversible. - ANS -a.) The client did not use an opioid drug. If opioid antagonists (Naloxone) fail to reverse symptoms of respiratory depression quickly, the overdose was likely due to a non-opioid substance.