Mrs. Evelyn Carter, an 85-year-old woman with chronic lower…
Mrs. Evelyn Carter, an 85-year-old woman with chronic lower back pain, was recently prescribed a high-dose opioid to manage her symptoms. She also takes lorazepam for anxiety and sertraline for depression. At her follow-up visit, the nurse notes that Mrs. Carter appears drowsy, has slowed responses during the assessment, and her daughter reports that she stumbled twice in the past week but did not fall. Question:What is the priority concern the nurse should address when evaluating Mrs. Carter’s medication regimen?