Priority of Medication question

[purplestang]

I had a question that asked what would the priority med be in the given scenario:

Patient has a fever, cough and a pain score of 7

Choices were:

Tylenol

Codeine

Robitussin

Would you want to help the patient's pain before getting the fever down?

Thanks.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i'd prioritize by maslow.

1. need for oxygen and breathing - give the robitussin
   
2. need for control of body temperature - give the tylenol
   
3. need for comfort - give the pain codeine
   

[Sehille4774]

Yeah, according to Maslow/nclex comfort issues do not take priority over basic physiologic needs aka pain last

[athena55, BSN, RN]

Gee, I guess I look at things a wee bit differently:

I would have given the codeine since it would help both the cough and the pain, then I would have given tylenol and perhaps removed some bed clothing, and started a tepid bath while waiting for the codeine and tylenol to "kick in"

athena

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

I would treat the pain first. The pt just has a cough- the scenario doesn't say anything about SOB.

I'd give the codeine first..