A nurse is caring for a client who just received a dose of IV ampicillin. Which of the following client reactions requires priority intervention by the nurse?

A. "Are you having any difficulty breathing?":

Difficulty breathing is a critical symptom that may indicate a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. It is essential to assess for difficulty breathing immediately as it requires urgent intervention to ensure the patient's airway is clear and to administer appropriate treatment.

B. "Have you noticed any blood in your stool?":

While blood in the stool could indicate gastrointestinal bleeding, it is not typically associated with allergic reactions to antibiotics. This symptom is more commonly associated with other conditions such as gastrointestinal ulcers, infections, or inflammatory bowel disease. While important to assess, it is not as immediately concerning as difficulty breathing in the context of a suspected allergic reaction.

C. "Are you having difficulty with your hearing?":

Difficulty with hearing is not a common symptom of allergic reactions to antibiotics. It may be associated with other conditions such as ear infections or ototoxicity from certain medications. While it is important to assess any changes in hearing, it is not typically an immediate concern in the context of a suspected allergic reaction.

D. "Do you have a headache?":

Headaches are a common symptom that can occur for various reasons, including stress, tension, dehydration, or as a side effect of medications. While headaches can sometimes occur as a side effect of certain drugs, they are not typically associated with severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. Therefore, while it is important to assess for headaches, it is not as immediately concerning as difficulty breathing in the context of a suspected allergic reaction.

A. Bacteriostatics are narrow spectrum drugs, and bactericidal drugs are broad spectrum:

This statement is incorrect. The spectrum of activity (narrow vs. broad) of an antibiotic refers to the range of bacterial species that it can target, not whether it is bacteriostatic or bactericidal.

B. Bacteriostatic drugs inhibit bacterial growth, and bactericidal drugs actually kill bacteria:

This statement is correct. Bacteriostatic drugs work by inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria without directly killing them, whereas bactericidal drugs directly kill bacteria.

C. Bacteriostatics work by inhibiting protein synthesis, and bactericidal drugs work by inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis:

This statement is incorrect. Both bacteriostatic and bactericidal drugs can target various bacterial cellular processes, including protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, cell wall synthesis, and others. The mechanism of action is not a definitive factor in distinguishing between bacteriostatic and bactericidal drugs.

D. Bacteriostatic drugs actually kill bacteria, and bactericidal drugs inhibit bacterial growth:

This statement is incorrect. It contradicts the established definitions of bacteriostatic and bactericidal drugs. Bacteriostatic drugs inhibit bacterial growth without killing the bacteria, while bactericidal drugs directly kill bacteria.