A patient is prescribed morphine sulfate 4 mg intravenously for postoperative pain.Which action should the nurse take before administering the medication?

A) Monitor the patient's respiratory status.
B) Auscultate the patient's heart sounds.
C) Check blood pressure in supine and sitting positions.
D) Monitor the patient for psychological drug dependence.

Before administering morphine sulfate, the nurse should monitor the patient's respiratory status because morphine sulfate is a potent opioid analgesic that can suppress breathing. Monitoring respiratory status is essential to detect any adverse effects of the drug, such as respiratory depression, in which case the medication would need to be stopped or the dosage would need to be reduced. Auscultating heart sounds and checking blood pressure are not necessary before administering morphine sulfate. Monitoring the patient for psychological drug dependence is an ongoing process and not specific to administering morphine sulfate.