A client enters the emergency department with suspected exposure to anthrax. The physician confirms this suspicion and orders the client an antibiotic. Which medication would the nurse expect the physician to order?

A. 36 months:

This duration is longer than typical treatment courses for TB. While treatment for drug-resistant TB may require an extended duration, standard treatment for drug-sensitive TB typically lasts for a shorter period.

B. 6-12 months:

This duration is within the typical range for the treatment of drug-sensitive TB. Standard treatment regimens for drug-sensitive TB usually involve a combination of multiple antibiotics taken for 6 to 9 months, sometimes extending up to 12 months depending on factors such as the severity of the disease and the patient's response to treatment.

C. 2-4 weeks:

This duration is too short for the treatment of TB. TB treatment requires a prolonged course of antibiotics to ensure the complete eradication of the bacteria and to prevent the development of drug resistance.

D. 7-10 days:

This duration is too short for the treatment of TB. TB treatment typically lasts for several months rather than days, as it involves a combination of antibiotics taken for an extended period to effectively treat the infection.

A.Goldenseal:

Goldenseal is a plant commonly used in herbal medicine, but it is not a drug that specifically inhibits bacterial beta-lactamase. While goldenseal may have antimicrobial properties, it is not typically used as a beta-lactamase inhibitor in the treatment of bacterial infections.

B. Ceftriaxone (Rocephin):

Ceftriaxone is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic. While it is an effective antibiotic for treating a wide range of bacterial infections, it does not have beta-lactamase inhibitor properties. Instead, ceftriaxone is susceptible to degradation by beta-lactamase enzymes produced by certain bacteria.

C. Penicillin:

Penicillin is one of the earliest discovered and most widely used beta-lactam antibiotics. However, many bacteria have developed resistance to penicillin by producing beta-lactamase enzymes. Penicillin itself does not inhibit beta-lactamase; instead, it is often combined with beta-lactamase inhibitors to enhance its effectiveness against beta-lactamase-producing bacteria.

D. Zosyn (piperacillin/tazobactam):

Zosyn is a combination antibiotic containing piperacillin, a broad-spectrum penicillin antibiotic, and tazobactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor. Tazobactam inhibits the action of beta-lactamase enzymes produced by bacteria, allowing piperacillin to exert its antibacterial effects without being degraded by beta-lactamase. Therefore, Zosyn is the correct answer as it contains a drug that inhibits bacterial beta-lactamase.