What medication should be administered to a patient with partial-thickness burns before scheduled wound debridement for effective pain control?

Administering hydromorphone, an opioid analgesic, is appropriate for providing effective pain control to a patient with partial-thickness burns prior to scheduled wound debridement. Partial-thickness burns can be extremely painful due to damage to the dermal layers, which contain nerve endings. Opioids like hydromorphone are potent pain relievers that work by binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system, thereby significantly reducing the perception of pain during procedures such as debridement that can exacerbate discomfort.

The timing of administration before the procedure is crucial, as it allows for the onset of action, ensuring that the patient has optimal pain relief during a potentially painful intervention. Hydromorphone is particularly beneficial in this context due to its strong analgesic properties and rapid onset when administered correctly.

Other medications such as ketorolac are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which could provide some pain relief but may not be sufficient alone for severe pain associated with burns and debridement. Lorazepam primarily serves as an anxiolytic and does not address pain directly. Gabapentin is typically used for nerve pain and might have some adjunctive benefits, but it is not the first-line medication for the acute, severe