Table 2.
Reasons for deviating from the protocol.
| Reasons for terminating or tapering morphine earlier than protocolized (N = 43) | n |
|
| |
| Respiratory depression∗ | 14 |
| Sleepiness | 11 |
| Too slow awakening after cessation of sedation | 9 |
| Nausea | 2 |
| Discrepancy between patients' high pain score and behavior according to the nurse | 2 |
| Hypotension | 1 |
| Delirium suspected to be caused by morphine | 1 |
| Refusal of a patient to receive more morphine | 1 |
| Decrease of pain immediately after removal of chest tubes | 1 |
| Planned extubation directly after pain scoring | 1 |
|
| |
| Reasons for not tapering morphine infusion upon NRS 0 or 1 (N = 7) | n |
|
| |
| Painful in the previous shift | 2 |
| Pain assessments were only within a few hours after surgery | 2 |
| Hypertension | 2 |
| Low pain scores in rest, but still painful while moving | 1 |
∗Respiratory depression was defined as respiratory rate of less than 10/min or pCO2 of 7 kPa or more. None of the patients with respiratory depression was reintubated or required naloxone.