The nurse is providing care for a patient with pain rated at a level 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. The patient is ordered to receive a narcotic pain medication orally every 3 to 4 hr as needed. Which action by the nurse is correct if the patient's medication was last given 3 hr ago? A) Administer the medication now B) Wait until the 4th hour to administer C) Assess the pain level first D) Request an alternative pain relief method
