Final answer:
Doxycycline treatment for Lyme disease can cause phototoxicity and is not safe in pregnancy. It can be taken with food to reduce gastrointestinal upset, but it may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient is beginning treatment with Doxycycline for Lyme disease, a nurse practitioner should be aware of several important considerations regarding its use. Firstly, Doxycycline can cause severe sunburns due to its phototoxic effects, so patients are advised to minimize sun exposure and use sun protection. It is not considered safe to use in pregnancy, as it may affect tooth development in the unborn baby and pose other risks. While Doxycycline should ideally be taken on an empty stomach for better absorption, it can cause gastrointestinal upset, so taking it with food or a full glass of water may be recommended to reduce this side effect. Lastly, there is some evidence that Doxycycline may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills, so alternative or additional methods of contraception should be considered.