The nurse is caring for a group of clients all in need of pain medication. The nurse has determined the most appropriate pain medication for each client based on the client's level of pain. Prioritize the order that the nurse should plan to administer the pain medications, beginning with the most potent analgesic for the client with the most severe pain.

B: Fentanyl 0.1 mg IV bolus per PCA. Fentanyl (Sublimaze), the most potent of the medications, is an opioid narcotic analgesic that binds to opiate receptors in the CNS, altering the response to and perception of pain. A dose of 0.1 to 0.2 mg is equivalent to 10 mg of morphine sulfate. D: Morphine sulfate 4 mg IV. Morphine sulfate is also an opioid analgesic. This dose is IV and would be fast-acting. C: Hydromorphone 5 mg oral. Hydromorphone (Dilaudid), another opioid analgesic, would be next in priority. The oral dosing of this medication would indicate that the client's pain is less severe than the client receiving fentanyl or morphine sulfate. Hydromorphone 7.5 mg oral is an equianalgesic dose to 30 mg of oral morphine or 10 mg parenteral morphine. A: Ketorolac 10 mg oral. Ketorolac (Toradol) is an NSAID and nonopioid analgesic that inhibits prostaglandin synthesis, producing peripherally mediated analgesia. E: Propoxyphene 65 mg oral. Propoxyphene (Darvon) should be given last. It binds to opiate receptors in the CNS but is used in treating mild to moderate pain. It has analgesic effects similar to acetaminophen's.