Which assessment should be documented first after a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) initiation?

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Documenting the assessment of adverse reactions to the medication is crucial after initiating patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) because the primary concern with any new medication, especially opioids used in PCA, is the patient's safety. When PCA is started, there is a potential for the patient to experience side effects or adverse reactions such as respiratory depression, sedation, or allergic reactions. Monitoring for these reactions is essential to ensure prompt intervention if any occur.

While evaluating the patient’s pain level is also important, the patient's safety takes priority immediately after medication administration. Assessing the IV site for patency is strategic but comes second to checking for immediate medication-related side effects. Documenting the patient's understanding of PCA is essential for patient education and compliance but is not a priority directly related to the immediate effects of the medication.

Thus, the focus is on ensuring the patient does not experience any harmful effects from the analgesia as the most immediate and critical action following PCA initiation.

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