If a client received morphine IV four hours ago and has a half-life of three hours, what would be an accurate statement regarding their medication?

Evaluating the scenario, the appropriate choice is indeed that it may be time for another dose, but some relief is expected.

When a medication like morphine is administered intravenously, its effects begin rapidly, and with a half-life of three hours, the concentration of the drug in the bloodstream decreases significantly over time. Given that the client received morphine four hours ago, one full half-life has passed, meaning that the concentration has diminished by half since administration.

However, a key point in pharmacology is that medications are not entirely cleared from the body by the end of one half-life. Some residual morphine is still likely to provide analgesic effects. Thus, while it may be appropriate to consider administering another dose soon—especially if the pain is not adequately managed—it’s also reasonable to anticipate some level of pain relief still remaining due to the pharmacological action of the morphine that was given.

This understanding is important for ensuring adequate pain management while minimizing the risk of overdose. After evaluating the situation, it is clear that the residual drug is still contributing to pain relief, which supports the idea that it may be time for another dose without having the patient completely devoid of pain relief.