(5) A prior dose of morphine. A dose of morphine never should be
repeated within 2 hours. It should not be repeated at all, unless necessary to control
pain. It should not be repeated if there is any reason to believe that the first dose has
not been absorbed. Sometimes when a client is in shock, his circulation is so poor that
injected drugs are not absorbed. If a dose of morphine is repeated in such a case, both
injections will be absorbed at once when circulation is restored, and morphine poisoning
will result.
(6) Pending surgery. If there is a possibility that the client may soon be
operated on, morphine should not be given, unless ordered by a medical officer.
Morphine and surgical anesthesia both act to depress the respiration.
(7) Sedative. Morphine should not be used as a sedative in the treatment
of anxiety, fear, or hysteria.
(8) Walking wounded. Morphine should not be given in the field to walking
wounded. The drug will cause some to become confused and nauseated, and will
increase disability in other ways.
(9) Shock. Morphine should not be used in shock, unless severe pain is
present and is retarding the effect of shock treatment. If morphine is ordered for a client
in shock, it should be given intravenously (by a medical officer) rather than
intramuscularly.
(10) Liver disease. Morphine should not be given to persons with hepatic
(liver) disease or infection.
g. Supply. Morphine injection is supplied in sterile cartridge- needle units
containing 8, 10, and 15 mg of the drug. This form of issue should be protected from
freezing, and in addition, the date on the package should be checked, since this drug is
subject to deterioration in 24 months or less. Available for field use is a collapsible tube
with needle attached (syrette), containing 16 mg of the drug (figure 3-1).
Figure 3-1. Morphine syrette.
MD0913
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