After being treated for a respiratory tract infection with a 10-day course of antibiotics,a 69-year-old patient calls the clinic and tells the nurse about developing frequent,watery diarrhea.What will the nurse anticipate that the patient will need to do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of frequent, watery diarrhea after taking antibiotics can indicate an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) bacteria, a common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The nurse should anticipate that the patient will need to bring in a stool specimen to be tested for C. difficile. Option A is not appropriate as laxatives should not be taken before a colonoscopy. Option B is not necessary as blood cultures are not used to diagnose C. difficile. Option D is also not necessary as a barium enema is not a diagnostic test for C. difficile.

After Being Treated for a Respiratory Tract Infection with a 10-Day