Question

a nurse in a providers office receives a call from a client who has been taking penicillin three times daily and reports abdominal cramping with bloody diarrhea for several days. which of the following instructions should the nurse give the client?

• \bring in a stool sample for testing.\
• \take the medication only twice daily.\
• \use an over - the - counter anti - diarrheal medication.\

-
eturn to the clinic for blood work.\

Explanation:

• Option 1: Bloody diarrhea while on penicillin may indicate Clostridium difficile infection. A stool sample can test for the presence of the bacteria or its toxins.
• Option 2: Reducing the penicillin dose without proper assessment (like confirming the cause of diarrhea) is inappropriate. The infection (if the diarrhea is due to an underlying infection) may not be treated effectively, and changing the dose without provider order is not correct.
• Option 3: Using over - the - counter anti - diarrheal medication can be dangerous if the diarrhea is due to Clostridium difficile. Anti - diarrheals can slow down the elimination of the toxins (if present) and worsen the condition.
• Option 4: Blood work may not directly diagnose the cause of the diarrhea (which is likely gastrointestinal in origin, and a stool test is more relevant for Clostridium difficile).

Answer:

A. "Bring in a stool sample for testing."