Question 1

A female client is prescribed tetracycline for acne. What information about this drug does the nurse share with the client?

Accepted Answer

Tetracycline has been identified to be unsafe during pregnancy and can cause harm to the developing fetus. It should not be used by pregnant women. Options A, B, and D are incorrect. Tetracycline is not contraindicated in people over 20 years old, it is classified as a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and while it is used to treat a wide variety of disease processes, this is not the most important information for a female client who is prescribed this medication for acne.

Question 2

The ability of an antibiotic to target pathogens without major effects on human cells is termed:

Accepted Answer

Selective toxicity is the ability of an antibiotic to selectively target and kill pathogens while leaving human cells relatively unharmed. This is a desirable trait in antibiotics as it minimizes harmful side effects and allows for effective treatment of infections.

Question 3

What is the term used to describe a bacterial genetic error, which may be a contributing factor to the development of drug resistance?

Accepted Answer

Mutations are genetic errors that can lead to altered or new functions in bacteria, and can contribute to the development of drug resistance. Plasmids are small, circular pieces of DNA that can be transferred between bacteria and can contain genes for antibiotic resistance. Conjugates are the process by which plasmids are transferred between bacteria. Duplications are copies of genes or portions of DNA that can also contribute to the development of drug resistance. However, among the given options, mutations are specifically associated with genetic errors that can contribute to drug resistance.

Question 4

What is the ability of an organism to become unresponsive over time to an anti-infective referred to?

Accepted Answer

The ability of an organism to become unresponsive over time to an anti-infective is referred to as acquired resistance. This occurs when the organism mutates and develops mechanisms to overcome the effects of the anti-infective. Superinfection refers to a new infection that occurs on top of an existing infection. Sensitivity refers to the susceptibility of an organism to a particular anti-infective. Mutation is a process by which the genetic material of an organism changes.

Question 5

The nurses in the Infection Control department at a large teaching hospital are presenting strategies to prevent antimicrobial resistance. Which guidelines do they include in their presentation? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

The guidelines to prevent antimicrobial resistance presented by the nurses in the Infection Control department at a large teaching hospital include: 
A) Using proper infection-control procedures, as this helps to prevent the spread of infections and therefore, reduces the need for antimicrobial treatment. 
C) Using antimicrobials wisely, which involves prescribing antibiotics only when necessary and using them appropriately to kill the targeted bacteria, hence reducing the selection pressure for resistance. 
D) Preventing infections, as this reduces the need for antimicrobial treatment and thus, reduces the risk of resistance. 
E) Treating infections properly, which helps to ensure that the correct antibiotic is prescribed at the right dose and duration to cure the infection, reducing the risk of resistance. 
B) Shortening the duration of antibiotic administration is not a guideline to prevent antimicrobial resistance as it may not be appropriate in all cases and following such a practice may increase the risk of treatment failure, relapse, or development of resistance.

Question 6

Which body system is the most difficult to reach with antibiotic therapy?

Accepted Answer

The central nervous system (CNS) is protected by the blood-brain barrier, which is a selective barrier that prevents many substances, including antibiotics, from entering the brain and spinal cord. This makes it challenging to treat CNS infections with antibiotics.

Question 7

What is the purpose of sending a wound culture to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of sending a wound culture to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity is to determine which antibiotic is most effective against the infecting microorganism. This is done by testing different antibiotics against the bacteria from the culture to see which one(s) are most effective in inhibiting or killing its growth.

Question 8

Students have completed their first class on anit-infectives. Their nursing instructor asks them to identify a leading factor in the development of bacterial resistance. What is an accurate response by the students?

Accepted Answer

Bacterial resistance can occur when there is a genetic mutation within the bacterial DNA. This mutation allows the bacteria to develop mechanisms to evade the effects of antibiotics, making them resistant. Replication, conjugation, and colonization do not necessarily lead to the development of resistance.

Question 9

An advantage of using a broad-spectrum antibiotic is that:

Accepted Answer

Using a broad-spectrum antibiotic is advantageous because it is effective against a large number of organisms, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This makes it useful when the exact cause of an infection is unknown or a bacterial sample cannot be cultured for testing. However, there is a risk of developing antibiotic resistance and disrupting the body's natural microbiota by using broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Question 10

The nurse is preparing to administer a broad-spectrum antibiotic medication to a client. What is an important nursing intervention prior to administration of the anti-infective is:

Accepted Answer

Performing a culture prior to administering the first dose of the anti-infective is important to identify the causative organism and determine the appropriate antibiotic to use. This helps to prevent the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics and reduces the risk of antimicrobial resistance. It is also important to perform cultures within 24 hours after starting the medication to monitor the effectiveness of the antibiotic and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan. Obtaining the culture report is important, but it should not be the only intervention prior to administering the medication. Administering the medicine without performing cultures is not an appropriate nursing intervention.

Question 11

What ability does an organism's pathogenicity refer to?

Accepted Answer

Pathogenicity refers to the ability of an organism to cause disease.

Question 12

The client's culture report indicates the presence of gram-negative cocci in the urine. what is the correct description of these cells?

Accepted Answer

Gram-negative cocci are round-shaped bacteria with thin cell walls, characterized by their inability to retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining procedure.

Question 13

What is the primary factor in the development of drug-resistant bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Unwarranted use of antibiotics is the primary factor in the development of drug-resistant bacteria because it exposes bacteria to antibiotics unnecessarily, allowing them to develop resistance to them. This happens when antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily or given incorrectly, such as using them for viral infections or not completing a full course. Selecting the incorrect antibiotic and lack of new antibiotics can contribute to the problem but are not the primary factors. Lack of client adherence can also contribute but is not as significant as unwarranted use of antibiotics.

Question 14

The client with a UTI asks the nurse why the health care provider did not prescribe the same antibiotic that he had for wound infection. What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Different infections can be caused by different types of bacteria, and not all antibiotics are effective against every type of bacteria. The healthcare provider prescribed a specific antibiotic for the UTI because it is effective against the particular bacteria causing the UTI, which may be different than the bacteria causing the wound infection.

Question 15

A client is seen at the clinic for a UTI. When reviewing her prescription with her, the client states that she is 4 weeks pregnant. Which of the following antibiotics would be contraindicated due to its effect on newborns hearing?

Accepted Answer

Aminoglycosides, such as gentamicin, are known to have ototoxic effects on newborns, meaning they can cause damage to the hearing and vestibular systems. Therefore, they are contraindicated in pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester when the fetal ear is developing. Mycins (macrolides), sulfonamides, and tetracyclines have other potential risks during pregnancy, but do not have the same ototoxic effect on newborns.

Question 16

What ability does a pathogen's invasiveness refers to?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What ability does a pathogen's invasiveness refers...

Question 17

What does hyaluronidase, an enzyme secreted by certain bacteria, allow bacteria to do?

Accepted Answer

Hyaluronidase breaks down hyaluronic acid which is present in the extracellular matrix of tissues, allowing bacteria to penetrate them more easily.

Question 18

How are anti-infectives grouped into pharmacological classes?

Accepted Answer

Anti-infectives are grouped into pharmacological classes based on their mechanism of action, which refers to how they work to kill or inhibit the growth of infectious organisms. Examples of different classes include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. These classes are defined by their specific targets and modes of action, such as inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis or disrupting viral replication.

Question 19

Which type of antibiotic carries the highest risk of an allergic response?

Accepted Answer

Penicillins are known to carry the highest risk of an allergic response, with up to 10% of the population reporting an allergy to this class of antibiotics.

Question 20

A new antibiotic is classified as a bacteriocidal agent. What does this term mean?

Accepted Answer

Bacteriocidal agents are antibiotics that have the ability to kill the infectious agent, as opposed to bacteriostatic agents, which only inhibit the growth of the infectious agent.

Quiz 10: Pharmacology of Infectious Diseases