The nurse is caring for a patient with a hydromorphone PCA set at a basal rate of 0.1 mg per hour, with a 0.1 mg bolus every 10 minutes. The nurse finds the patient stuporous and difficult to arouse. After treating and stabilizing the patient, the nurse should:

Explanation

•After stabilizing the patient from opioid toxicity, the nurse should verify that the patient was receiving the correct dosage. The ordered dosage was safe for an adult patient, so the error may have been programming the PCA pump.

•Requesting that the PCA be discontinued or that the dosage be lowered is not appropriate until the nurse investigates the reason for opioid toxicity.

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