"My doctor said I have an autoimmune disease. What does that mean?" asks a client. How should the nurse respond?

A. Obtaining all cultures before the antibiotic is administered: While obtaining cultures is important for identifying the specific pathogen causing the infection and guiding targeted antibiotic therapy, waiting for culture results can take time. During this time, the infection can progress. Therefore, it's generally recommended to initiate broad-spectrum antibiotics first and then adjust the treatment based on culture results.

B. Delaying administration of the antibiotic until the culture results are available: Delaying antibiotics until culture results are available can be risky, as it allows the infection to progress, potentially leading to sepsis or other severe complications.

C. Administering antipyretics as soon as possible: Administering antipyretics like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce fever and make the patient more comfortable. However, the primary intervention for a suspected infection is antibiotic therapy, as it targets the underlying cause of the fever.

D. Administering the antibiotic immediately: When dealing with a patient with a fever of unknown origin and a suspected infection, the priority is to start appropriate antibiotic therapy promptly. Delaying antibiotic administration can allow the infection to worsen, leading to serious complications.

A. Wear high-top shoes to avoid tendon rupture:
This statement is incorrect. Tendon rupture is a known side effect of fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, especially in certain populations. However, wearing high-top shoes does not prevent this. Patients should be educated about the signs of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation and should be advised to stop the medication and contact their healthcare provider if they experience such symptoms.

B. Use a barrier method of birth control (condoms) during antibiotic use:
This statement is partially correct. Antibiotics like ciprofloxacin do not interfere with the efficacy of hormonal birth control methods like pills, patches, or injections. However, it's advisable to use a barrier method like condoms as an additional form of contraception while taking antibiotics. This is to prevent potential interactions and ensure maximum contraceptive effectiveness.

C. Do not use any bronchodilator inhalers while taking the drug:
This statement is incorrect. Ciprofloxacin does not interact negatively with bronchodilator inhalers. Patients can continue using their prescribed inhalers as directed by their healthcare provider, especially if they are being used for conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

D. Stop the medication as soon as you feel better:
This statement is incorrect. It's crucial for patients to complete the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if they start feeling better before the course is finished. Stopping antibiotics prematurely can lead to incomplete eradication of the infection, potentially allowing the bacteria to develop resistance and cause a recurrence of the illness.