Question

The nurse is caring for a client with chronic inflammatory bowel disease who is prescribed antibiotics to treat the condition. The client reports an allergy to sulfa. Which medication orders will the nurse‚ question?

1) Olsalazine (Dipentum)
2) Mesalamine (Asacol, Rowasa)
3) Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
4) Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
5) Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)

Answer 1

The nurse should question the Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) order for a client with a sulfa allergy, as it is a sulfonamide and could trigger a hypersensitivity reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is caring for a client with chronic inflammatory bowel disease who is prescribed antibiotics to treat the condition and has reported an allergy to sulfa. The medication orders that the nurse should question due to the presence of sulfa and potential for an allergic reaction is Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine). Sulfasalazine is a sulfonamide and could cause a hypersensitivity reaction in patients with a sulfa allergy. While other medications such as Olsalazine, Mesalamine, Clarithromycin, and Ciprofloxacin do not contain sulfonamides, it’s crucial to avoid those with the sulfonamide group in patients who have reported sulfa allergies.