A new graduate comes to you with a concern. She works nights and has been caring for an IV drug user and has been assessing this individual for pain on a regular basis. He is frequently in pain, as identified not only by his complaints but by physical changes and vital signs. When she is working, she medicates him according to physician orders. Other nurses, mostly from the day shift, have been making negative comments to her and about her related to the fact that she is just feeding his habit, and they see no need to give him so much pain medication. She does not know what to do, as the patient expresses his dread for the day shift and how much pain he will have.
What do you think the problem is in this scenario? How would you approach it? Collaborate with colleagues regarding this issue. What would they do? Do your approaches differ? If so, how and why?
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A new graduate comes to you with a concern. She works nights and has been caring for an IV drug user and has been assessing this individual for pain on a regular basis. He is frequently in pain, as identified not only by his complaints but by physical changes and vital signs. When she is working, she medicates him according to physician orders. Other nurses, mostly from the day shift, have been making negative comments to her and about her related to the fact that she is just feeding his habit, and they see no need to give him so much pain medication. She does not know what to do, as the patient expresses his dread for the day shift and how much pain he will have.