Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 74%
Simulated
A client with advanced ovarian cancer takes 150 mg of long-acting morphine orally every 12 hours for abdominal pain. When the client develops a small bowel obstruction, the physician discontinues the oral morphine and begins morphine 6 mg/hour I.V. After calculating the equianalgesic conversion from oral to intravenous morphine, the nurse should:
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The equianalgesic conversion from 150 mg oral morphine every 12 hours (300 mg/day oral) to I.V. morphine (1:3 ratio) is approximately 100 mg/day I.V., or 4.2 mg/hour. The ordered 6 mg/hour is too high, and the nurse should contact the physician to adjust the dose.