Medicines for uncontrolled pain at home
NMC OSCE practice station
Medication administration · 1 min to read · 15 min to perform
Check and give the medicine due now safely, assess her pain, explain what you are doing and plan what happens next.
Maureen KearneyI'm sorry to be a nuisance, nurse. The pain has come back and it's very bad.
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You are a community nurse visiting Maureen Kearney, aged 81, at her home. She has advanced cancer and is cared for by her daughter, who is present. Her pain is not controlled. Her medicines record and prescribed medicines are in the patient folder. Check and give the medicine due now safely, assess her pain, explain what you are doing and plan what happens next. The on-call palliative care doctor can be reached by telephone. Complete the medicines record.
What this station tests
- Always check the time of the last dose against the minimum interval before giving as required opioid.
- Calculate the volume from the strength: dose divided by concentration, then multiplied by the volume the concentration refers to.
- Repeated breakthrough doses mean the regular dose needs review by the prescriber.
- Check for drowsiness and slow breathing before and after giving an opioid, and treat constipation early.
- Listen to fears about addiction and give clear, honest explanations to the patient and family.
Sources for the clinical content
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.