An older adult patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develops bronchitis. The patient has a temperature of 39.5°C. The nurse will expect the provider to:
a. obtain a sputum culture and wait for the results before prescribing an antibiotic.
b. order empiric antibiotics while waiting for sputum culture results.
c. treat symptomatically, because antibiotics are usually ineffective against bronchitis.
d. treat the patient with more than one anti-biotic without obtaining cultures.
B
Patients with severe infections should be treated while culture results are pending. If a patient has a severe infection or is at risk of serious sequelae if treatment is not begun immediately, it is not correct to wait for culture results before beginning treatment. Until a bacterial infection is ruled out, treating symptomatically is not indicated. Treating without obtaining cultures is not recommended.
You might also like to view...
A client is experiencing a reoccurrence of the symptoms typical of gout in his right foot. The nurse shows an understanding of the diagnostic testing appropriate for this client when preparing the client for a(n): Select all that apply
1. Serum uric acid level. 2. Complete blood count (CBC). 3. X-ray of the affected foot. 4. MRI of the affected foot. 5. CT of the affected foot.
A patient recently discharged from an alcohol rehabilitation program is brought to the hospital in a state of prostration with severe throbbing headache, tachycardia, a beet-red face, dyspnea, and continuous vomiting
The patient's significant other states the patient got sick about 15 minutes after drinking a glass of wine. The nurse should be guided in assessment by the suspicion that the patient: a. Is having a stroke b. Has alcohol intoxication c. Is reacting to disulfiram (Antabuse) d. Is exhibiting symptoms of cross-dependence
Seventy-two hours after cardiac surgery, a young child has a temperature of 37.7? C (101? F). The nurse should:
a. Keep the child warm with blankets. b. Apply a hypothermia blanket. c. Record the temperature on nurses' notes. d. Report findings to physician.
The nurse is performing a damp-to-damp dressing change, and is removing the old dressing. Part of the dressing is adhered to the tissue. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?
1. Removing that part of the dressing quickly, to reduce the pain 2. Wetting the dressing with alcohol to release the section adhered to the wound 3. Wetting the dressing with tap water to release the section adhered to the wound 4. Wetting the dressing with sterile saline to release the section adhered to the wound