A nurse administering an opioid analgesic will base the dosage and timing on which of the following?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The nurse bases opioid analgesic dosage and timing on the client's weight and pain level, ensuring safe, effective relief tailored to body mass (for metabolism) and pain severity (for efficacy). Guidelines like mg/kg and pain scales (0-10) inform this, preventing under- or overdosing. Choice A, nurse's convenience, is unethicalcare prioritizes client need, not staff schedule. Choice C, time of day, might influence sleep-related dosing but isn't primarypain dictates timing (e.g., PRN). Choice D, drug availability, affects options but not dosage; nurses adjust within what's accessible, not arbitrarily. Choice B is correct, reflecting pharmacology principles nurses apply, balancing therapeutic effect with safety (e.g., monitoring respiratory depression), ensuring individualized care for acute or chronic pain management.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The basis of the nurse's response is less distraction, as nighttime's quiet and inactivity allow greater focus on pain signals from a fractured arm, amplifying perception. During the day, activity or interaction diverts attention, dulling pain awarenessa psychological modulation effect. Choice B, more activity, is falsenight typically involves rest, not exertion, which might increase pain if true. Choice C, improved circulation, doesn't fit; circulation may stabilize at rest, but this doesn't inherently worsen painswelling might, but it's not specified. Choice D, increased appetite, is unrelatedhunger doesn't intensify fracture pain. Choice A is correct, guiding nurses to explain this common pattern, suggesting strategies like mild distraction (e.g., music) or timed analgesics to blunt nighttime pain spikes, enhancing comfort for acute injuries like fractures.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The best response is Take the medication at bedtime,' as it leverages drowsinessa common opioid side effectto aid sleep, a frequent issue in chronic pain, while maintaining pain control. Timing adjusts impact without altering the regimen. Choice A, stop taking it, risks uncontrolled pain, dismissing a manageable side effect over the drug's benefit. Choice C, you'll get used to it, assumes tolerance develops, which may notdrowsiness can persist, disrupting daytime function. Choice D, reporting to the physician, may follow, but nurses first offer practical solutions; this isn't urgent. Choice B is correct, empowering the client with a strategy nurses often suggest, aligning dose with lifestyle, reducing daytime sedation, and enhancing comfort, with follow-up if issues persist.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The basis of the nurse's response is slowed digestion, as opioid analgesics bind to gut mu receptors, decreasing peristalsis and delaying bowel motility, causing constipationa frequent, mechanism-based side effect. This explains its predictability. Choice B, reduced appetite, may occur with nausea but doesn't directly cause constipationmotility, not intake, is key. Choice C, increased fluid loss, is unrelated; opioids don't dehydrate bowelsstool hardens from slow transit. Choice D, allergic reaction, is wrongconstipation is a pharmacological effect, not hypersensitivity. Choice A is correct, enabling nurses to clarify this GI impact, recommending prophylactics (e.g., laxatives) and hydration to counteract slowed digestion, ensuring clients maintain comfort and bowel function while on chronic pain meds.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The basis of the nurse's response is reduced saliva production, as some chronic pain meds (e.g., opioids, antidepressants) have anticholinergic effects, inhibiting salivary gland activity, causing dry moutha side effect tied to their pharmacology. This explains its occurrence. Choice B, increased thirst, is a result, not the causedryness drives thirst, not vice versa. Choice C, allergic reaction, is wrong; dry mouth is a common effect, not a rare hypersensitivity sign. Choice D, rapid absorption, affects onset, not salivadryness stems from receptor action. Choice A is correct, guiding nurses to explain this mechanism, offering hydration or sugar-free gum to ease discomfort, ensuring clients manage this tolerable side effect while continuing pain relief therapy.