Question

Your patient called 911 because he was having chest pain. He states that his pain is a 7 on a​ 10-point scale. As part of your​ care, you assist him with taking his nitroglycerin per medical direction. After waiting a few minutes for the medication to take​ effect, you​ should:

A. call medical direction to administer another dose.
B. lay the head of the stretcher down.
C. ask him what his pain is like now.
D. administer another dose of nitroglycerin.

Answer 1

After administering nitroglycerin to a patient, the appropriate next step is to ask the patient about their pain level to assess the effectiveness of the medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

After assisting a patient with taking his nitroglycerin per medical direction due to chest pain, the next appropriate action would be to ask the patient what his pain is like now. This step is crucial for monitoring the effectiveness of the medication and determining whether additional medical intervention is required. Nitroglycerin acts as a vasodilator, and its proper administration can significantly alleviate chest pain resulting from angina by improving blood flow. If the pain does not subside or lessens only slightly, further medical direction and possible administration of an additional dose may be warranted. However, it is of paramount importance to evaluate the patient's response to the initial dose before proceeding with any further steps.