A nurse is preparing to give an antibiotic to a patient who reports being allergic to antibiotics. Before giving the medication, what will the nurse do first?

Choice A reason: Insulin does not stimulate the liver to convert glycogen to glucose; instead, it promotes glycogenesis and inhibits glycogenolysis. By facilitating glucose uptake and storage, insulin lowers blood glucose levels, counteracting the process of glycogen breakdown into glucose, which is regulated by glucagon and other hormones, making this choice incorrect.

Choice B reason: Insulin does not promote amino acid synthesis into glucose (gluconeogenesis). It inhibits gluconeogenesis in the liver, reducing glucose production from amino acids and other substrates. By enhancing glucose uptake and storage, insulin maintains glucose homeostasis, making this option incorrect as it misrepresents insulin’s role in glucose metabolism.

Choice C reason: Insulin does not stimulate the pancreas to reabsorb glucose. The pancreas produces insulin, which acts on target tissues like muscle and fat to facilitate glucose uptake. Glucose reabsorption occurs in the kidneys, regulated by sodium-glucose cotransporters, not insulin, making this choice scientifically inaccurate for insulin’s function.

Choice D reason: Insulin promotes glucose uptake into cells by facilitating GLUT4 transporter translocation to cell membranes in muscle and adipose tissue. This allows glucose to enter cells for energy production via glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. This is insulin’s primary role in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis, making it the correct choice for its action.

Choice A reason: Benzonatate suppresses cough by anesthetizing stretch receptors in the respiratory tract, reducing the cough reflex. It acts locally on nerve endings in the lungs and pleura, effectively decreasing cough frequency without systemic opioid effects, making it an appropriate choice for cough suppression.

Choice B reason: Guaifenesin is an expectorant, promoting mucus clearance by thinning secretions, not suppressing the cough reflex. It facilitates productive coughing rather than inhibiting it, making it ineffective for cough suppression and an incorrect choice for this indication in managing cough symptoms.

Choice C reason: Dextromethorphan suppresses cough by acting on the medulla’s cough center, reducing the urge to cough. As a non-opioid antitussive, it effectively controls non-productive cough without significant respiratory depression, making it a suitable and correct choice for cough suppression in various conditions.

Choice D reason: Codeine, an opioid, suppresses cough by acting on the central nervous system’s cough center, reducing reflex activity. It’s effective for non-productive cough but carries risks of sedation and dependency, making it a correct but cautiously used choice for cough suppression.