Chapter 83, 84, & 85 Antibiotic Treatment

Question 1

What is a chemical produced by one microbe with the ability to harm other microbes?

Answer 1

Antibiotic

Question 2

What is any agent, natural or synthetic, that has the ability to kill or suppress microorganisms?

Answer 2

Antimicrobial (agent)

Question 3

What is it considered when a drug has the ability to injure a specific cell or organism without damaging others?

Answer 3

Selective toxicity

Question 4

What is it considered when an organism has been harmed by a medication, and is no longer affected as severely, or at all, by the same medication used?

Answer 4

Acquired resistance

Question 5

What type of infection occurs in 1 of every 25 patients?

Which unit does it have an increased risk to be acquired?

Answer 5

Hospital-Acquired/Associated Infections (HAI) or Nosocomial infections

These have an increased risk to occur in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Question 6

Which antibiotic is very effective and was discovered by accident (Fleming)?

What’s a serious and somewhat common adverse effect that occurs with this antibiotic?

Answer 6

Penicillin

Adverse effect: Allergic reaction. 0.4-7% of patients experience an allergic reaction that can be anywhere from a minor rash or anaphylaxis

Question 7

What are the nursing considerations for prescribing/administering Penicillin? (4)

Answer 7

1. Instruct the patient to take oral penicillin with a full glass of water 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after a meal
   2 . Patients need to complete the entire course of treatment
2. Those with a penicillin allergy should wear identification
3. Tell the patient to report any signs of allergy to their PCP - If experiencing any difficulty breathing, call 9-1-1 immediately

Question 8

Which antibiotic is most part of the most widely-used group of antibiotics, and has a low toxicity?

Answer 8

Cephalosporins

Question 9

What are the adverse effects of using the antibiotic, Cephalosporin? (2)

Answer 9

1. Allergic reaction: causing Rash, Bronchospasms, and/or Anaphylaxis
2. Bleeding

Question 10

What are the nursing considerations when prescribing/administering the antibiotic Cephalosporin? (5)

Answer 10

1. Inform clients to take medication with food if GI upset occurs
2. Oral suspensions must be kept in the refrigerator
3. Patients need to complete the entire course of treatment
4. Avoid alcohol with cefazolin and cefotetan
5. Tell the patient to report any signs of allergy to their PCP - If experiencing difficulty breathing, call 9-1-1 immediately

Question 11

Which antibiotic should be reserved for client’s where other antibiotics are not effective? Why?

How would this antibiotic be administered?

What are some adverse effects for this antibiotic? (3)

Answer 11

Imipenem has a very broad spectrum of effectiveness at treating mixed infections and should be reserved to prevent development of resistance.

Administered via IV

Adverse effects:

1. N/V
2. Diarrhea
3. Superinfections can be manifested

Question 12

Which antibiotic is most widely used one in hospitals in the US?

Answer 12

Vancomycin

Question 13

What infections are Vancomycin effective against? (2)

What is Vancomycin not effective against (2) and what may be used to treat these instead of Vancomycin (2)?

Answer 13

Vancomycin is effective against MRSA and C-Diff

However, it is NOT effective against VRSA/VRE. Antibiotics used instead would be:
Linezolid and Daptomycin