Questions and Answers
The spectrum of activity of an anti-infective indicates:
A) the acidity of the environment which they are most effective
B) the cell membrane type that the anti-infective affects
C) the anti-infective's effectiveness against different invading organisms
D) the resistance factor that bacteria have developed to this anti-infective - ANS C) the anti-
infective's effectiveness against different invading organisms
The emergence of resistant strains of microbes is a serious public health problem. Health care
providers can work to prevent the emergence of resistant strains by:
A) Encouraging the patient to stop the antibiotic as soon as the symptoms are resolved to
prevent overexposure to the drug
B) Encouraging the use of antibiotic when patients feel they will help
C) Limiting the use of antimicrobial agents to the treatment of specific pathogens known to be
sensitive to the drug being used
D) Using the most recent powerful drug available to treat an infection to ensure eradication of
the microbe - ANS C) Limiting the use of antimicrobial agents to the treatment of specific
pathogens known to be sensitive to the drug being used
Sensitivity testing of a culture shows:
A) Drugs that are capable of controlling that particular microorganism
B) The patient's potential for allergic reactions to a drug
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,C) The offending microorganism
D) An immune reaction to the infecting organism - ANS A) Drugs that are capable of
controlling that particular microorganism
Combination therapy is often used in treating infections. An important consideration for using
combination therapy would be that:
A) It is cheaper to use 2 drugs in one tablet than one drug alone
B) Most infection are caused by multiple organisms
C) The combination of drugs can delay the emergence of resistant strains
D) Combining anti-infective will prevent adverse effects from occurring - ANS C) The
combination of drugs can delay the emergence of resistant strains
Superinfections can occur when anti-infective agents destroy the normal flora of the body.
Candida infections are commonly associated with antibiotic use. A patient this type of
superinfection would exhibit:
A) Difficulty breathing
B) Vaginal discharge of white patches in the mouth
C) Elevated blood urea nitrogen
D) Dark lesions on the skin - ANS B) Vaginal discharge of white patches in the mouth
An example of an anti-infective used as a means of prophylaxis would be:
A) Amoxicillin used for tonsillitis
B) Penicillin used to treat an abscess
C) An antibiotic used before dental surgery
D) Norfloxacin used for bladder infection - ANS C) An antibiotic used before dental surgery
A broad-spectrum antibiotic would be the drug of choice when:
A) The patient has many known allergies
B) One is waiting for a culture and sensitivity results
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,C) The infection is caused by one specific bacteria
D) Treatment is being given for an upper respiratory infection of unknown cause - ANS B)
One is waiting for a culture and sensitivity results
Bacterial resistance to an anti-infective could be the result of which of the following? Select all
that apply
A) Natural or intrinsic properties of the bacteria
B) Changes in cellular permeability or cellular transport systems
C) The production of chemicals that antagonize the drug
D) Initial exposure to the anti-infective
E) Combination of too many antibiotics for one infection
F) Narrow spectrum of activity - ANS A) Natural or intrinsic properties of the bacteria
B) Changes in cellular permeability or cellular transport systems
C) The production of chemicals that antagonize the drug
Anti-infective drugs destroy cells that have invaded the body. They do not specifically destroy
only the cell of the invader, and because of this many adverse effects can be anticipated when
an anti-infective is used. Which of the following adverse effects are often associated with anti-
infective use? Select all that apply
A) Superinfections
B) Hypotension
C) Renal toxicity
D) Diarrhea
E) Loss of hearing
F) Constipation - ANS A) Superinfections
C) Renal toxicity
D) Diarrhea
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, A client is receiving sulfonamide therapy for an infection. The nurse understands that this drug
acts by doing what?
A) Preventing the organism from dividing
B) Dissolving the bacterial cell wall
C) Interfering with protein synthesis
D) Altering the permeability of the cell membrane - ANS A) Preventing the organism from
dividing
Antibiotics, anti fungals, and antiprotozoal alter permeability;
Aminoglycosides, macrolides, chloramphenicol interfere w/ protein synthesis;
Penicillin interferes w/ cell wall
A client w/ acne has been receiving an anti-infective agent for a prolonged period. Initially, the
drug was effective, but one time its effectiveness decreased. What is the nurse's best action?
A) Refer the client to the health care provider because the client may be experiencing
resistance
B) Educate the client about the phenomenon of drug tolerance
C) Assess the client for a new onset of drug hypersensitivity
D) Assess the client for additional signs of superinfection - ANS A) Refer the client to the
health care provider because the client may be experiencing resistance
When reviewing the medication orders, a nurse notes that combination therapy w/ two anti-
infective agents has been ordered. What is the nurse's best interpretation of this order?
A) The client has an infection that is a result of antibiotic resistance
B) The client has an infection that may be caused by more than one organism
C) Treatment w/ a single antibiotic has proven to be unsuccessful
D) The risk of anaphylaxis precludes the use of one antibiotic in higher doses - ANS B) The
client has an infection that may be caused by more than one organism
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