When caring for a client who is experiencing continuous severe pain, t

When caring for a client who is experiencing continuous severe pain, the nurse should expect that the pain management plan would include:

1. Focusing on intramuscular administration of analgesics
2. Waiting for pain to become more intense before administering opioids
3. Administering opioids with nonopioid analgesics for severe pain experiences
4. Administering large doses of opioids initially to clients who have not taken the medications before

ANSWER

ANS: 3
To treat a client who is experiencing continuous severe pain, the nurse should expect the client to receive opioid and nonopioid analgesics for severe pain experiences. Intramuscular administration of analgesics is not expected because the injection itself is painful, and there may be inconsistent erratic absorption of the drug. The nurse should administer opioids before the client’s pain be-comes intense. It is easier to maintain pain control than it is to get intense pain under control. Large doses of opioids are not given initially to clients who have not taken the medications be-fore because they may cause respiratory depression. The expectation is to begin with lower doses and titrate upward.