Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 94%
Simulated
The nurse has attended a staff development conference regarding patient-controlled analgesia. Which of the following statements by the nurse indicates effective understanding?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
A loading dose is often used in PCA to achieve initial pain control before the patient begins self-administering doses. PCAs are suitable for acute pain, do not eliminate the need for pain assessments, and continuous basal rates may increase adverse effect risks.