Who can administer morphine to a hospice patient?
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Who can administer morphine to a hospice patient?
Morphine prescribed to a hospice patient does not cause premature death. Hospice physicians are specially trained in the use of morphine and administer only the dose necessary to alleviate a patient’s pain or help them breathe.
How often can you give a hospice patient morphine?
Step 2 Drugs for Pain Management
| Drug | Equivalent dose | Maximum daily dosage |
|---|---|---|
| Morphine | 5 mg | No maximum dosage |
| Propoxyphene (Darvon)* | 65 mg | 600 mg (9 tablets) given in divided doses every 6 hours |
| Acetaminophen with propoxyphene (Darvocet)* | 325 mg/50 mg | 3,900 mg/600 mg (12 tablets) given in divided doses every 6 hours |
How is liquid morphine administered in hospice?
Liquid morphine dilates the bronchioles in the lungs, therefore increasing the oxygen capacity. HOW DO I TAKE THIS MEDICATION? This medication may be mixed with fluids or soft foods, or placed directly in the mouth. It may also be placed under the tongue if the patient cannot swallow or does not like the taste.
Is morphine safe for hospice patients?
The concern of addiction as well as side effects are common reasons why people are hesitant taking morphine. But under the direction of our hospice physicians and support from our hospice nurses and team, we can provide these medications safely while mitigating any serious risks.
Why are nurses reluctant to give morphine to terminally ill family members?
While we nurses tend to see family resistance to morphine as irrational, their hesitation to give this important palliative drug may reflect something deeper about what the use of this drug in their terminally ill family member means to them. And this may be worth keeping in mind. Author Scott Janssen is a hospice social worker.
Do family members need education when morphine is prescribed?
And yet education alone isn’t always what family members need when morphine is prescribed for their loved ones. Especially when the patient is at home and it’s a family member, not a nurse, managing the drug. “Despite his mother’s intense respiratory distress before he gave her the morphine, he’s convinced that he’s just made a big mistake…
Can morphine be used to expedite the death of an elderly?
Morphine, yes. It was used by hospital medical staff at the request of my family and relatives to relieve pain. But one of our family members knew it could also be used to expedite the deaths of my wife’s very elderly parents who were within days, perhaps a week, of dying.