A patient who is taking immunosuppressant medications develops a urinary tract infection. The causative organism is sensitive to sulfonamides and to another, more expensive antibiotic. The prescriber orders the more expensive antibiotic. The nursing student assigned to this patient asks the nurse why the more expensive antibiotic is being used. Which response by the nurse is correct?

a) "Immunosuppressed patients are folate deficient." b) "Patients who are immunosuppressed are more likely to develop resistance." c) "Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic and depend on host immunity to work." d) "Sulfonamides intensify the effects of immunosuppression."


ANS: c
Sulfonamides are usually bacteriostatic and require intact host defenses for completeelimination of infection. Immunosuppressed patients are not necessarily folate deficient. Thereis no increased likelihood of developing bacterial resistance in immunosuppressed patients.Sulfonamides do no affect immunosuppression.

Nursing

You might also like to view...

The nurse recognizes during her assessment of schizophrenic individuals that they can exhibit positive or negative behaviors. The positive behaviors may be delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. The prognosis for these patients is:

a. guarded. b. poor. c. good. d. repeatable.

Nursing

When preparing for the discharge of a client who is experiencing postoperative pain, the nurse provides teaching regarding pain medication. How should the nurse reinforce these instructions?

1. Provide the phone number of the pharmacist. 2. Provide a written copy of the instructions. 3. Provide appropriate documentation in the client's chart. 4. Remind the client not to take the medication until the pain is severe.

Nursing

A nurse uses the DESC (Describe, Explain, State, Consequences) communication method to promote the

1. Passive style. 2. Aggressive style. 3. Assertive style. 4. Avoidant style.

Nursing

After auscultating a coarse low-pitched sonorous rattling in the left lower lobe, the nurse is concerned that the patient may be developing:

a. an accumulation of secretions in the larger air passages. b. narrowing in the lower lobe of the lung. c. irritation in the pleurae. d. crackles in the left lower lobe.

Nursing