question about chest pain?

[opensails]

Hi guys! I was reading about chest pain and read about the MONA greets mnemonic, and now I'm questioning what I thought. If we get a question about chest pain and O2, nitro, morphine, or aspirin are all choices, which would be first? I always thought the steps were was: First - O2 Second - Take the vital signs then give nitro (up to 3x every 5 mins if it persists) So would it be morphine first? I hate when I read something and it jumbles with what I had thought previously and can't remember anything... Any help is appreciated...thanks!

[NurseLil-lea]

I think I would study it MONA!! Morphine, 02, Nitro and than Aspirin. That is how I studied it and I did just fine when I came to a test question with chest pain. Be careful with the Jumbling, it can really mess things up for you on the test. Good luck to you!!

[Acestudent21]

Hello, I learned the mnemonic in nursing school as well. The mnemonic is supposed to help you remember the options, not the steps in order. The steps are as follows: give oxygen first (this maximizes the effect of any medication given after), then aspirin (in any situation it is usually readily available), if you don't have aspirin or nitro is available give nitro (as you described), morphine is given last and only if pain is not relieved by nitro. Hope that helps :) Remeber we want to prevent ischemia, so oxygen is always first!

[opensails]

Ok thanks a lot guys! I guess it is also important not to read too deep into these questions, which i seem to be extremely guilty of!

[caliotter3]

I go with what acestudent says.

[Lorrie34]

We learned it as "MOAN". It is just to help you remember what the interventions are--not the order. I would go with O2 first. Oxygen/airway ALWAYS pirority. Never anything before airway. Remember that and you will be fine. If they aren't breathing, they aren't perfusing so pumping nitro and morphine into them won't help because it won't get to where it needs to go to work. :)

[NurseLil-lea]

Mona is what I learned also but it was just merely to help remember the options/interventions only like Acestudent21 and Lorrie34 said. Good luck to you Opensails!!! Always Pray, Prayer does help!!