Morphine Administration Route for Pain Management

A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing postoperative pain following a hip replacement surgery. The healthcare provider has ordered morphine sulfate 2 mg IV every 4 hours as needed for pain management. The nurse knows the client has already received the first dose of morphine 1 hour ago and the client's pain level is currently at 7 on a scale of 0 to 10. The nurse prepares to assess the client's pain level before the next possible dose.

Fill in the blank with the appropriate medication route: The primary advantage of administering morphine via __________ is that it allows for rapid onset of action, making it ideal for controlling acute pain.