A Patient Who Has Just Started Taking Sustained-Release Morphine Sulfate

question 19

Multiple Choice

A patient who has just started taking sustained-release morphine sulfate (MS Contin) for chronic pain complains of nausea and abdominal fullness. The best initial action by the nurse is to

• A) administer the ordered antiemetic medication.
• B) tell the patient that the nausea will subside in about a week.
• C) order the patient a clear liquid diet until the nausea decreases.
• D) consult with the health care provider about using a different opioid.

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Definitions:

Viscosity

A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow, describing how thick or sticky the fluid is and how easily it pours at a specific temperature.

Red Blood Cells

Blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to the body and carbon dioxide back to the lungs to be exhaled.

Abdominal Aorta

is the largest artery in the abdominal cavity that supplies oxygenated blood to the lower parts of the body.

Splenic Artery

A major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the spleen, branching from the abdominal aorta.