A client is receiving tetracycline for chlamydia urethritis. The practical nurse (PN) should reinforce which instruction?

Choice A reason: Range of motion assesses muscle relaxant effectiveness, as these drugs, like cyclobenzaprine, reduce muscle spasms by acting on the central nervous system, relieving pain and improving mobility. Increased leg movement indicates reduced spasm and pain, directly reflecting the drug’s therapeutic action.

Choice B reason: Capillary refill evaluates perfusion, not muscle relaxation. Muscle relaxants target spasms, not vascular status. While pain may indirectly affect circulation, capillary refill does not measure the drug’s primary effect on muscle function, making this choice irrelevant.

Choice C reason: Dependent edema reflects fluid status, not muscle relaxant efficacy. These drugs reduce muscle tension, not swelling. Edema is unrelated to leg pain from spasms, and muscle relaxants do not affect fluid dynamics, making this choice inappropriate for assessment.

Choice D reason: Skin temperature may indicate inflammation or circulation but is not specific to muscle relaxant effects. These drugs alleviate spasms, improving mobility, not temperature. Range of motion directly measures spasm relief, making this choice less relevant for evaluating the medication’s impact.

Choice A reason: Famotidine, an H2 receptor blocker, reduces gastric acid production, alleviating epigastric pain caused by acid-related conditions like gastritis or ulcers. Decreased pain indicates the drug’s effectiveness in lowering acid levels, protecting the gastric mucosa, and promoting healing, making this the primary clinical outcome.

Choice B reason: Weight loss of 3 pounds is not a direct indicator of famotidine’s effectiveness. It may result from unrelated factors like diet or illness. Famotidine targets acid reduction, not weight, so this finding is irrelevant to assessing the drug’s therapeutic impact on gastric conditions.

Choice C reason: Decreased nighttime awakenings may occur with reduced pain but are not a specific measure of famotidine’s effectiveness. Awakenings could relate to other factors, like sleep disorders. Pain reduction is a more direct indicator of the drug’s action on acid-related symptoms.

Choice D reason: A positive stool antigen test indicates Helicobacter pylori infection, not famotidine’s effectiveness. Famotidine reduces acid but does not eradicate H. pylori, which requires antibiotics. This finding is unrelated to the drug’s primary role in acid suppression and symptom relief.