Before marriage, a female client has a blood test drawn for syphilis. The test reveals a positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) serum test. What is the advice that the nurse should give the client?
a. "Check with your future husband about his sexual activity."
b. "You must determine if you are pregnant at this time."
c. "Submit to a more specific treponemal test to confirm the infection."
d. "Agree to a benzathine penicillin G injection in multiple doses."
ANS: C
False-positive reactions can occur with viral infections, hepatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. A health care provider can request more specific treponemal tests such a fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption or microhemagglutination assay for Treponema palladium performed by the laboratory. While it would be good to confirm sexual activity with her future husband, this inquiry could wait until after further testing is performed. Penicillin is the treatment of choice, but as a single 2.4-million-unit dose. A different regimen would be recommended if the client were pregnant.
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