Question

A patient's intractable neuropathic pain is being treated on an inpatient basis using a multimodal approach to analgesia. After administering a recently increased dose of IV morphine to the patient, the nurse has returned to assess the patient and finds the patient unresponsive to verbal and physical stimulation with a respiratory rate of five breaths per minute. The nurse has called a code blue and should anticipate the administration of what drug?

1) Acetylcysteine
2) Naloxone
3) Celecoxib
4) Acetylsalicylic acid

Answer 1

Naloxone is the drug that should be administered to reverse an opioid overdose, such as from an increased dose of IV morphine, restoring the patient's breathing and consciousness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should anticipate the administration of naloxone following the patient's unresponsive state due to a potential morphine overdose. Morphine is an opioid that can induce analgesia and, in higher doses, cause drowsiness and loss of consciousness. When a patient exhibits signs of opioid overdose, such as a significantly decreased respiratory rate, naloxone is used as an opioid antagonist to reverse the effects of the opioid, particularly respiratory depression. It is critical in emergency situations to restore the patient's normal breathing pattern.