A patient taking ketorolac for acute postoperative pain reports black, tarry stools and weakness. Which action should the nurse take first?
Correct answer: A. Withhold the medicine and report possible gastrointestinal bleeding
- A. Withhold the medicine and report possible gastrointestinal bleeding
- B. Give the next dose with milk to protect the stomach
- C. Encourage exercise because inactivity causes dark stools
- D. Reassure the patient that this is an expected effect
Explanation
Black, tarry stools may indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding, a serious NSAID adverse effect. The medicine should be withheld and the finding reported promptly. Milk does not prevent significant NSAID bleeding, and dark stools are not an expected harmless effect.
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About Analgesics and CNS Drugs
This area covers opioid and non-opioid analgesics, local anaesthetics, sedatives, anxiolytics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiepileptics and drugs for Parkinsonism. It examines therapeutic actions, dependence, respiratory depression, extrapyramidal effects, serotonin related toxicity and the distinction between pain relief, sedation and loss of consciousness.
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