Does the provision of pre-prepared morphine solution alter the administration of opioids to patients in the recovery room?

Abstract

The provision of immediate postoperative analgesia using titrated intravenous opioid is widespread. Protocols requiring two nurses to sign out, check and draw up opioid solutions are time-consuming and might act as a bar to the prompt provision of analgesia. One hundred and five patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Prepared morphine solution 10 mg (Group Ten) or 5 mg (Group Five) or no syringe (Group Zero) accompanied the patient to the post anaesthesia care unit. Nursing staffs were unaware of the trial. The likelihood of receiving morphine was actually higher in Group Zero than in Groups Five and Ten but not significantly different (relative risk 1.4, 95% confidence intervals 0.8-2.4). The dose of morphine administered was not significantly different between the groups. Provision of pre-prepared opioid solution did not increase either the frequency of morphine administration or the dose in this study.