The condition of a pt who opted to receive no further treatment is deteriorating rapidly. The pt is receiving a morphine drip titrated to maintain comfort and is now poorly responsive with a wide-complex bradycardia. Respirations are labored and BP is 80/40. A student nurse suggests that the morphine should be stopped. The preceptor should explain that morphine
A. is a form of benign euthanasia related to the pt discomfort.
B. is decreasing cardiac preload and may increase cardiac output and blood pressure
C. is a comfort measure, but the pt disease process is ultimately responsible for his death
D. may indeed hasten death and should be discontinued