What should be monitored after administering analgesics?

Monitoring the patient’s pain level and any side effects after administering analgesics is critical for ensuring proper pain management and patient safety. The primary goal of analgesics is to alleviate pain, so assessing the effectiveness of the medication by asking the patient to rate their pain level is essential. This can help determine whether the analgesic has been effective or if further intervention is needed.

Additionally, monitoring for side effects is equally important because analgesics can cause a variety of adverse reactions, including sedation, constipation, nausea, or even respiratory depression, especially with opioids. Recognizing side effects early allows for timely interventions to mitigate any risks associated with the medication.

In contrast, the other options do not provide direct insight into the efficacy or safety of analgesic administration. For instance, tracking a patient's weight and height is important in the overall assessment of a patient’s health but is not relevant immediately after administering pain medication. Knowing the time of the last meal could be relevant in certain contexts, such as surgery or certain medications that affect digestion, but it doesn’t pertain specifically to the monitoring of analgesics. Monitoring blood pressure and heart rate can be relevant in certain situations but does not directly address the effectiveness or side effects of analgesics, which are the primary concerns following