Question

22. An adult client is on call for the operating room. The pre-op medication order is for meperidine HCI (Demerol) 100 mg IM and atropine 0.4 mg IM. The operating room calls at 11 a.m. and requests that the client be medicated. The nurse notes that the client lasts received meperidine for pain at 10 a.m. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take? a. Give the pre-op medication as ordered. b. Give half the dose of meperidine and all of the atropine. c. Check with the anesthesiologist before administering the medication. d. Withhold both the meperidine and the atropine. 23. An adult client had an abdominal hysterectomy this morning. Meperidine HCI (Demerol) 75 mg IM q 3-4 hrs prn for pain is ordered. At 9 p.m., she complains of lower abdominal pain. She was last medicated at 5:45 p.m. What is the most appropriate initial action for the nurse to take? a. Offer her a bed pan and a back rub. b. Reposition her. c. Administer meperidine HCI 75 mg IM.

Answer 1

22. As the last meperidine dose of the patient is given at 10am ,when the call from operating room for medicine administration comes at 11am means just after 1hour of meperidine dose . The nurse must check with the anaesthesiologist before administration of medicine,because Meperidine is a narcotic analgesic given pre-operatively 30 to 90 mins before beginning anaesthesia. Initially lower dose of meperidine is recommended because it's an opioid ,can lead to hepatic impairment. So, when the call comes the nurse should check with the anaesthesiologist before administering the medication especially for meperidine because it may lead to meperidine overdosage.

23. Meperidine is an opioid . It is recommended for treatment of acute or chronic pain . The recommended dose of meperidine for pain for adults is 50-150mg PO/IM/SC q3-4hr PRN. So, according to the recommendation,the most appropriate action for the nurse in the given scenario is to administer meperidine HCI 75mg IM.