Question

A client who has been diagnosed with a cold is upset that antibiotic therapy was not prescribed. Which nursing response is most appropriate?

A.) "Sometimes antibiotics work for colds and sometimes they do not."
B.) "We can ask the PCP for an antiviral medication."
C.) "The common cold is a virus and will not respond to antibiotics." D.) "Antibiotics have too many side effects anyway."

Answer 1

The correct response to the client upset about not receiving antibiotics for a cold is to explain that antibiotics do not work against viruses, which are the cause of colds. Antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections like the common cold.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate nursing response is: C) "The common cold is a virus and will not respond to antibiotics." This is because colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics work only against bacterial infections. Using antibiotics for a viral infection like the common cold could contribute to antibiotic resistance and thus should be avoided unless a secondary bacterial infection is confirmed. It's essential to understand that antibiotics have the potential to do more harm than good when used inappropriately, due to their side effects and the risk of increasing antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.