A patient who is taking immunosuppressants develops a urinary ...

[Redwolflake15]

A patient who is taking immunosuppressants develops a urinary tract infection. The causative organism is sensitive to sulfonamides and to another, more expensive antibiotic. The prescriber orders the more expensive antibiotic.
 
  The nursing student assigned to this patient asks the nurse why the more expensive antibiotic is being used. Which response by the nurse is correct?
  a. Immunosuppressed patients are folate deficient.
  b. Patients who are immunosuppressed are more likely to develop resistance.
  c. Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic and depend on host immunity to work.
  d. Sulfonamides intensify the effects of immunosuppression.

Question 2

A pregnant patient is treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) (Bactrim) for a urinary tract infection at 34 weeks' gestation. A week later, the woman delivers her infant prematurely. The nurse will expect to monitor the infant for:
 
  a. birth defects.
  b. hypoglycemia.
  c. rash.
  d. scleral jaundice.

[Moriaki]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Sulfonamides are usually bacteriostatic and require intact host defenses for complete elimination of infection. Immunosuppressed patients are not necessarily folate deficient. There is no increased likelihood of developing bacterial resistance in immunosuppressed patients. Sulfonamides do no affect immunosuppression.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Kernicterus is a disorder in newborns caused by deposition of bilirubin in the brain. Sulfonamides promote kernicterus by displacing bilirubin from plasma proteins. Sulfonamides should not be given to infants under 2 months of age or to pregnant women near term. Jaundice is an early sign of elevated bilirubin, so the nurse should assess for scleral jaundice. Sulfonamides do not cause birth defects or hypoglycemia. Serious rashes may occur but are not the primary concern in the newborn.

[Redwolflake15]

Both answers were spot on, thank you once again

[Moriaki]

Great! Please up vote