👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team🕐 Updated 2026-08-23🏷️ Pharmacological Therapies🔖 Free to read, print, and share
Also known as: morphine sulfate · opioid · narcotic pain medicine
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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Morphine on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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📒 The 1-minute cheat sheet
✅ Action
Opioid agonist, severe pain
Also ↓preload in acute HF
🚩 Report
RR < 12 → hold, notify
Respiratory depression = #1 risk
Antidote: naloxone ready
🩺 Watch
Constipation, sedation, ↓BP
Pinpoint pupils = overdose
🎓 Teach
Stool softener + fluids
No alcohol/sedatives → additive
📚 Morphine — full study notes
The cheat sheet above is your quick recall card. These notes go deeper — what it is, what to do first, what must be reported, and what to teach.
Morphine is an opioid agonist used for moderate to severe pain, including MI, postoperative, and end-of-life pain. It relieves pain, reduces anxiety, and decreases cardiac workload by venous dilation. Key principle: the priority risk is respiratory depression; naloxone is the antidote.
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Key points
Understand these first
The most dangerous adverse effect is respiratory depression; assess respiratory rate before each dose.
Naloxone is the reversal agent for opioid overdose.
Common effects include constipation, sedation, urinary retention, hypotension, and pinpoint pupils.
In MI it decreases preload and myocardial oxygen demand in addition to relieving pain.
Constipation does not resolve with tolerance, so a bowel regimen is needed.
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Nursing priorities
What to do, in order
Assess respiratory rate and sedation level before and after administration; hold if respirations are below 12.
Keep naloxone available for opioid-induced respiratory depression.
Implement a bowel regimen and monitor for constipation and urinary retention.
Assess pain using a standardized scale and reassess after dosing.
Use fall precautions because of sedation and hypotension.
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Red flags — report now
Escalate immediately
Hold and report respiratory rate below 12 or oxygen saturation drop (respiratory depression).
Report pinpoint pupils with decreased level of consciousness (overdose).
Never give to a patient who is already heavily sedated.
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Patient teaching
What patients must know
Report pain that is not controlled and any trouble breathing.
Increase fluids and fiber to prevent constipation.
Change positions slowly and avoid driving or alcohol while taking it.
❓ Morphine: NCLEX FAQs
What are the priority nursing interventions for Morphine?
Assess respiratory rate and sedation level before and after administration; hold if respirations are below 12. Keep naloxone available for opioid-induced respiratory depression. Implement a bowel regimen and monitor for constipation and urinary retention. Assess pain using a standardized scale and reassess after dosing.
What are the warning signs of Morphine a nurse must report?
Hold and report respiratory rate below 12 or oxygen saturation drop (respiratory depression). Report pinpoint pupils with decreased level of consciousness (overdose). Never give to a patient who is already heavily sedated.
What do I need to know about Morphine for the NCLEX?
The most dangerous adverse effect is respiratory depression; assess respiratory rate before each dose. Naloxone is the reversal agent for opioid overdose. Common effects include constipation, sedation, urinary retention, hypotension, and pinpoint pupils. In MI it decreases preload and myocardial oxygen demand in addition to relieving pain.
What patient teaching is important for Morphine?
Report pain that is not controlled and any trouble breathing. Increase fluids and fiber to prevent constipation. Change positions slowly and avoid driving or alcohol while taking it.
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Quick Tip
The most dangerous adverse effect is respiratory depression; assess respiratory rate before each dose.