The nurse caring for a patient who will receive penicillin to treat an infection asks the patient about previous drug reactions. The patient reports having had a rash when taking amoxicillin (Amoxil). The nurse will contact the provider to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's previous rash with amoxicillin indicates a possible allergic reaction to penicillin. Therefore, the provider should be contacted to discuss alternative antibiotic options such as erythromycin. A smaller or larger dose of penicillin would not be appropriate in this situation. Diphenhydramine may be used to treat allergic reactions, but it would not address the issue of using an antibiotic to which the patient may be allergic.

The Nurse Caring for a Patient Who Will Receive Penicillin