Which intervention should be performed after administering narcotics?

The rationale for choosing to follow up on pain assessment 30 minutes after intravenous (IV) administration and 1 hour after oral (PO) administration of narcotics is grounded in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of these medications.

When narcotics are administered IV, they enter the bloodstream rapidly, leading to a quicker onset of pain relief, usually within 5 to 10 minutes. Therefore, a follow-up assessment at 30 minutes allows for an appropriate evaluation of the medication's effectiveness and for any necessary adjustments in pain management.

Conversely, when narcotics are taken orally, the onset of action is slower due to the time it takes for the medication to be metabolized and absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. This often ranges from 30 minutes to an hour. The follow-up at 1 hour is thus suitable, allowing enough time for the drug to exert its effects before assessing the patient's pain level.

This approach ensures effective pain management by allowing healthcare providers to assess efficacy at appropriate intervals tailored to the route of administration, suggesting that one should closely monitor the patient's pain status in accordance with how quickly the drug is expected to work.

Monitoring blood pressure every 5 minutes might offer some insights into hemodynamic stability, especially given that