The nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing severe pain and i

The nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing severe pain and is insistent about “getting some relief quickly.” Which of the following prescriptions is most likely to produce the quickest pain relief?

1. Percodan orally
2. Lidocaine topically
3. Demerol intramuscularly
4. Morphine sulfate intravenously

ANSWER

ANS: 4
Each route of medication administration has a different rate of absorption. When applying medi-cations on the skin, absorption is slow because of the physical makeup of the skin. Medications placed on the mucous membranes and respiratory airways are quickly absorbed because these tissues contain many blood vessels. Because orally administered medications pass through the gastrointestinal tract, the overall rate of absorption is usually slow. Intravenous (IV) injection produces the most rapid absorption because medications are immediately available when they enter the systemic circulation.