Question

PN 200 Fundamentals of Nursing II Preventing Medication Emors- Analgesics Name: Date ourse assigned to care for a patient who is in the terminal phase of etomy last year with cancer. Mrs. Downs is 48-years-of-age and underwent a b lymph node involvement. been taking oxycodone through the night and n significantly, She ave adequate and safe pain children and both are college graduates ilatecal mastec Recently she has been diagnosed with metastasis to the bone. She bas -one 5 mg tablet every 6 hours- and not being able to sleep well now has increasing pain to the point that her quality of life has decreased wants to stay at home through her terminal phase of her illness but also must control. Her husband of 18 years is very supportive. They have no Mrs. Downs's lumbar spine. At this time the oxycodone is not beneficial and you as her nurse must now advocate for the patient to her physician to receive adequate pain relief. s recent increase in pain has been attributed to bone metastasis to the area of the 1. When discussing her pain medication with her physician, what type of medication would you expect to be ordered to relive the bone pain and what is the rationale for this medication? Mrs. Downs visits her physician and receives a different opioid medication that is to be given around the clock, plus an immediate-release opioid to help with any breakthrough pain. After one week Mr. Downs finds Mrs. Downs awake but lethargic and speaks with slurring her words. What do you think has happened? 3. 2. What should Mr. Downs do? Mrs. Downs is taken to the local emergency room and is treated for overdose. Her physician is contacted and her medication dosages are adjusted to a lower dose. 4. How can this problem be prevented in the future? Reviewed 9/18

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Answer 1

1. Most physicians are ordered a more potent narcotic analgesics /Opiates that is codeine for the present scenario. Because of the metastasis of cancer to the bone result in the severe pain to Mrs.Down and results in the altered quality of life and she cannot bear the pain in any way.

2. Because of the unbearable pain of Mrs.Down, the physician ordered a high potent narcotic analgesics to her as round around the clock (PRN) and as well as immediate release opioid for breakthrough pain.

The patient has taken the medications whenever she feels the pain she took the medication and thus results in the overdose of the medication as shown as lethargic and slurring of speech.These are the adverse effects of the codeine overdose.

3.She has to immediately consult with the physician to rule out the cause and to get the management over the drug toxicity

4.Here we can see that a highly potent narcotic analgesic is given to Mrs.Down for managing the bone pain and instruct to take it as PRN,and thus results in the overdosage of the drug.

The problem can be easily prevented in the future by giving a special instructions and dose adjustments and as well as regarding the schedule of intake to the patient clearly; specially for every drug especially narcotic analgesics.