Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 67%
Entry Exam
Select the meaning of the word alleviate in the sentence: "To alleviate his pain, the nurse gave the patient a PRN medication."
Correct answer
D
Rationale
In this sentence, the term 'PRN' is used, which stands for 'pro re nata,' meaning 'as needed' or 'when necessary.' The nurse provided the patient with a medication only when it was necessary to alleviate his pain, not on a fixed schedule. Therefore, the correct meaning of 'PRN' in this context is to 'reduce' the pain, as the medication was administered only when required to lessen the pain.