NCLEX-RN® question of the day

A nurse is caring for an older adult patient who was prescribed an opioid analgesic for post-operative pain management. The patient reports that the pain medication 'isn't working as well as it used to' after several days of use. Which explanation best describes why this patient may be experiencing reduced effectiveness of the opioid?

1. AThe patient is exaggerating pain because they are seeking additional medication unnecessarily.
2. BOpioids lose their chemical effectiveness after 48 hours and should be discontinued after that time.
3. CThe patient's pain threshold has permanently increased, meaning they no longer feel pain at lower intensities.
4. DThe patient has developed opioid tolerance, requiring more of the drug to achieve the same level of pain relief.