How about this for an order?

Nurses General Nursing

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This may just be my naivete or age showing but I saw a prn order from an old "breast man" that read verbatim "Ativan 1 mg p.o q 4-6hrs prn pain".

Yuck :uhoh3: :angryfire

Specializes in ER.

I guess I don't understand what the big deal is. It could be as simple as he had a brain fart and meant to write for agitation, sleep or whatever. One of our ER docs recently wrote an order that read, Lortab 1 Gm. IV. I don't know where his head was, but when I pointed it out to him, he shook his head and laughed. We all make mistakes, and sometimes it comes out in our charting. Back before e mail, I worked with a male RN who had a girlfriend in another state and they wrote a lot of letters, many of them written on progress notes when he was not busy at work. On one of his charts on night, he signed off his notes with...Love, John. Only the next day, did someone point it out to him, and he nearly died of embarassment. We see wierd stuff written on charts all the time, and sometimes it is mine!

BTW, my hubby is an old breast man and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Ativan is used for pain at times because of the calming effect which allows the client to relax enough so that the pain eases. I have seen this done in the past several years; mostly with cancer and abdominal diseases.

Evaluate the effects and ask the patient.

Maybe its too early in the morning but I am still puzzled as to why being a "breast man" is relevent to the fact that Ativan was ordered for pain?

I take it he was the doctor?

:confused:

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I believe it's used as an adjuvant, as previously stated by others.

adjuvant, yes. I hope it's not the primary pain med, however. That was my concern originally!

Specializes in Utilization Management.

:banghead: Oh, I just HAD to look, didn't I. :nono: Juuuuuuuust couldn't leave it alone.....

I'm soooooo sorry I looked. :stone

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I know , ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, huh angie?

ativan is lorazepam. an antianxiety, sedative, hypnotic drug. usually used to calm manic patients, relieve anxiety or irritability in pre op patients. not safe to use prn because of tendency to develop dependence. in the elderly or patients with liver dysfunction, not more than 2mg per day should be given.

This may just be my naivete or age showing but I saw a prn order from an old "breast man" that read verbatim "Ativan 1 mg p.o q 4-6hrs prn pain".

Yuck :uhoh3: :angryfire

I know , ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, huh angie?

I third that! :uhoh3:

I third that! :uhoh3:

Ick . . .but at least it wasn't Mediaographic.

steph :chuckle

Well, one of the methods used in biofeedback is to lessen anxiety and therefore lessen pain. Also Lamaze classes - breathing techniques to relax you so you can handle the pain better (of course they lie in Lamaze class :rolleyes:

steph

We don't lie in Lamaze class. We give you options that's all. What works for one does not work for the next person. Actually all paced breathing is is mind over matter and that truly is all some people need. I hope you are not an L&D nurse making that comment! LOL :p

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

We get this order constantly, and I work with geri's! I constantly have to remind docs about the limitations of this med, and...oh lovely as it is...fax back any and all orders that are written like 4-6 hours, or 1-2 tabs! We can not accept these orders anymore, they have to be specific now. (and no matter how many times I fax these orders back to a doc...they always do it again!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGG!!!!!!).

We made up a protocol though, and send that in with their orders. Like for pain meds in pill form...1=mild to moderate, 2= severe so they can add 1-2 on an order. Gotta love the time and effort it takes on about every darned order to fax the MD back! UHGGGGGG! I say these things in my sleep now. Or Lax of choice....okay can't take that either...we have another protocol for that..much longer to spell out, but luckily printed and they just mark Yes or no and sign...

We don't lie in Lamaze class. We give you options that's all. What works for one does not work for the next person. Actually all paced breathing is is mind over matter and that truly is all some people need. I hope you are not an L&D nurse making that comment! LOL :p

I was kidding and yes, I'm a L&D nurse. I work in a small rural hospital so I work med/surg, OB and ER.

I know Lamaze works for some. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I have a friend who teaches child birth classes and Lamaze and I tease her but she knows me and knows I'm kidding.

steph

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