Anti-Infective Safety
Before giving the first dose of an anti-infective, the nurse should ask about this patient history.
Previous allergic reactionis to anti-infective drugs
Antibiotics should be given on this type of schedule to maintain consistent blood levels.
An even around-the-clock schedule
Patients should take antibiotics for this full amount of time.
The prescribed duration
These drugs kill bacteria.
Bactericidal drugs
This should usually be avoided during antimicrobial therapy because many drugs enter breast milk.
Breast-feeding
This type of drug reaction may include rash, hives, itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing.
Allergic reaction
Maintaining this helps the antibiotic work effectively against bacteria.
A constant blood level
Stopping antimicrobial therapy too early increases the risk that the infection may do this.
Recur or come back
These drugs slow or limit bacterial growth.
Bacteriostatic drugs
Drugs excreted into breast milk may place this person at risk for side effects or adverse reactions.
The infant
This severe allergic reaction can be life-threatening and requires immediate action.
Anaphylaxis
Giving an antibiotic every 6 hours means the medication should be spaced this way.
Evenly throughout the day and night
Stopping antibiotics early can contribute to development of these harder-to-treat organisms.
Drug-resistant organisms
The word “cidal” in bactericidal helps students remember this action.
Killing bacteria
Patients allergic to penicillin may also be allergic to this antibiotic class because of similar chemical structure.
Cephalosporins
If a patient reports a penicillin allergy, this person should be informed before giving a related antibiotic.
The prescriber
Skipping or delaying antibiotic doses may lower the drug level and allow bacteria to do this.
Continue growing or multiplying
This teaching should be given when a patient says, “I feel better, so I stopped my antibiotic.”
The word “static” in bacteriostatic helps students remember this action.
Slowing, stopping, or inhibiting bacterial growth
Penicillins and cephalosporins may cause cross-allergy because they have this.
Similar chemical structure
This is why allergy assessment is especially important before the first antibiotic dose.
To prevent serious allergic or adverse reactions
This is the nursing reason for giving antibiotics at the ordered time instead of “whenever convenient.”
To maintain therapeutic drug levels
This can occur when bacteria survive because the antibiotic was not taken for the full ordered course.
Antimicrobial resistance
Bactericidal and bacteriostatic drugs are two ways antibiotics affect these organisms.
Bacteria
This is the safest nursing action when a breast-feeding patient is prescribed an antimicrobial.
Ask the prescriber or pharmacist about breast-feeding safety before giving or teaching the medication