Morphine drip----help

[roadtorn]

To all you experienced nurses out there. I am a new nurse(lesss then a year). My pts code staus was changed to CMO(my first). I started the morphine drip @ 1cc and hour. The order was to titrate to 8cc. My question When do I know its time to raise the rate?? Oh and how do you respond when a family member of pt says to another family member "The morphine will just kill him faster".

[OncallRN]

after doing hospice for over 2 years, I've faced the "Morphine will make them die faster", both from people wanting to bring the end faster, and other afraid of bringing the end faster.

titrated approriately for elevated resps and heart rate and pain, I don't think morphine hastens death. I think it ease distress, people expend less energy when they are breathing comfortablely and not in pain.

a quick google search will bring up new research showing the morphine increases length of life in those with severe respitory destress.

before I started hospice I was really nervous about morphine and narcotics. but I learned about them and how they work at the end of life and while I respect them, I no longer fear them