A hospice client with metastatic pancreatic cancer has lost 50 pounds and now weighs only 102 pounds and is very cachectic with loss of adipose tissue and muscle wasting. The client’s pain has been treated with fentanyl patches (50 mg), which are changed every 3 days, but the client’s pain control is very poor, and she is taking one to two OxyContin (oxycodone) 5 mg tablets every 4 to 6 hours for breakthrough pain. A novice hospice nurse asks the CNL for advice about pain control. Which of the following is the BEST first action?

CNLs (Clinical Nurse Leaders) are a relatively new innovation in the practice of nursing, initiated in 2003 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in response to a demand for general practice nurses with advanced training in the latest improvements in healthcare delivery systems, safety protocols, and quality assurance measures.  To become a licensed CNL, you start by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and attaining licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). RNs may then enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program with a CNL specialization.... Show more

CNLs (Clinical Nurse Leaders) are a relatively new innovation in the practice of nursing, initiated in 2003 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in response to a demand for general practice nurses with advanced training in the latest improvements in healthcare delivery systems, safety protocols, and quality assurance measures. 

To become a licensed CNL, you start by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and attaining licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). RNs may then enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program with a CNL specialization. Graduates from CNL programs are eligible to sit for the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) CNL exam. Candidates who pass the exam are certified as CNLs. 

The CNL exam consists of 140 multiple-choice, single answer questions. Some items are presented in a case study format with multiple questions related to the specific case study. Candidates have 3 hours to complete the examination.

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