Burns and Burn Injury Q 77

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Which of the following route should the nurse expect the pain medication to be given to a client who was admitted with extensive burns?

  

    A. Oral

    B. Intramuscular

    C. Subcutaneous

    D. Intravenous

    

    

Correct Answer: D. Intravenous

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For clients with major burns, the intravascular route is the preferred choice of medication administration. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with IV opioids is a safe and efficient method of achieving flexible analgesia in burn-injured patients. Studies comparing PCA with other routes of administration have shown mixed results as to benefit and patient satisfaction.

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Option A: Oral NSAIDs and acetaminophen are mild analgesics that exhibit a ceiling effect in their dose-response relationship. Such limitations render these agents unsuitable for the treatment of typical, severe burn pain. Oral NSAIDS and acetaminophen are of benefit in treating minor burns, usually in the outpatient setting.

Option B: In intramuscular drug administration, the absorption of the drug is determined by the bulk of the muscle and its vascularity. The onset and duration of the action of the drug is not adjustable. In case of inadvertent scenarios such as anaphylaxis, burns, or neurovascular injuries, intravenous (IV) assess needs to be secured

Option C: Subcutaneous injections are another form of the parenteral route of medication and are administered to the layer of skin referred to as cutis, just below the dermis and epidermis layers. Subcutaneous tissue has few blood vessels; therefore, the medications injected undergo absorption at a slow, sustained rate.

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