A pregnant patient with fever, flank pain, and chills has a history of two previous bladder infections before getting pregnant. She is allergic to several antibiotics. She reports having taken methenamine successfully in the past
What will the nurse tell her?
a. "This agent is not effective against infections of the upper urinary tract."
b. "This antiseptic agent is safe for use during pregnancy and has no drug resistance."
c. "This drug is linked to many serious birth defects and is not recommended during pregnancy."
d. "You will need to take this medication with meals to avoid gastric upset."
ANS: A
Methenamine is safe for use during pregnancy and would be an excellent choice for this patient if she had a lower urinary tract infection. However, it is not an effective agent for upper urinary tract infection, because it is a prodrug that must break down into ammonia and formaldehyde to be effective. There is not enough time for formaldehyde to form in the kidneys, so it is not effective in the upper tract. Nitrofurantoin is linked to serious birth defects and also must be given with food to prevent gastrointestinal problems.
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When a nurse lectures to a large group, the method of communication is usually in the form of ____________ communication
ANS:
A labor and delivery nurse will be participating in a client's emergency caesarean section and intends to apply the principles of surgical asepsis appropriately. Surgical asepsis is most clearly characterized by which of the following?
A) Antibiotics are applied as a preventative measure against infection. B) The principles of medical asepsis will be applied in a surgical setting. C) Viral contamination takes precedence over bacterial contamination. D) Steps are taken to render an item completely free of microorganisms.
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The amount of medication that maintains the level of drug in the blood without overdosing the patient is the ________ dose.
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).