89. The nursing instructor questions a nursing student about an analgesic that may be ordered for a child with otitis media who is complaining of mild ear pain. Which medication should the nursing student correctly expect to be ordered?
89. The nursing instructor questions a nursing student about an analgesic that may be ordered for a child with otitis media who is complaining of mild ear pain. Which medication should the nursing student correctly expect to be ordered?
Test-Taking Tip
↑ duration = ↓ doses.
Content Area: Pediatrics, Pharmacology; Integrated Process: Nursing Process, Implementation; Cognitive Level: Analysis; Client Need/Subneed: Physiological Integrity/Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Expected Effects/Outcomes
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Answer 1 is correct because ibuprofen has a longer duration of action (about 6 hours) than acetaminophen (about 4 hours), which is a distinct advantage for nighttime comfort or when a child is resistant to taking medication. Selecting ibuprofen would require giving fewer doses to the child. Answer 2 is incorrect because acetaminophen has a shorter duration of action (about 4 hours) than ibuprofen (about 6 hours). This is a distinct disadvantage for nighttime comfort or when a child is resistant to taking medication because acetaminophen would result in giving more doses to the child. Answer 3 is incorrect because, while codeine is recommended as an analgesic in the treatment of otitis media, it is reserved for severe pain rather than the mild pain about which the child is complaining. Answer 4 is incorrect because, while Dilaudid is used in the pediatric population, it is reserved for the severe pain associated with cancer or major surgeries.
