A 21-year-old college student presents to the university campus clinic. The nurse collects the patient's medical history and performs an initial assessment. The patient states, "I'm having a herpes flair, and I need a prescription for acyclovir." The nurse examines the lesion on the shaft of his penis. The ulcer is 2 cm in size and seems painless and hard upon palpation.
-The physician in the clinic wrote a prescription for acyclovir when the student called him on the phone that morning.What is the most appropriate action by the nurse?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse should call the physician to report the assessment findings and suggest a prescription for penicillin G. The presentation of a large, painless ulcer on the penis is highly suspicious for syphilis, a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Acyclovir is an antiviral medication used to treat herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, and is not effective for syphilis. The physician may consider ordering a blood test to check for syphilis, and prescribe appropriate antibiotics if the test is positive. It is important to treat syphilis promptly to prevent complications and further spread of the infection.

A 21-Year-Old College Student Presents to the University Campus Clinic