Question

An 18 year old patient is admitted for acute streptococcal pharyngitis and tonsillitis; her chart listed no known drug allergies on admission. when the nurse tells the patient that she is due for her first dose of penicillin G injection, she says that she took amoxicillin for a dental procedure and developed shortness of breath and hives right after taking the medication and wonders if she can take penicillin. what is the nurse's next course of action.

Answer 1

The nurse should recognize the patient's past reaction to amoxicillin as a potential allergic reaction and immediately report this to the prescribing physician before administering penicillin G. Due to the chemical similarity between penicillin G and amoxicillin, careful evaluation is necessary to prevent a possible anaphylactic reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the nurse is informed by the 18-year-old patient that she had a previous reaction to amoxicillin, which included shortness of breath and hives, it is crucial for the nurse to recognize this as a potential allergic reaction. Penicillin G and amoxicillin are both , and an allergy to one could indicate an allergy to the other due to the similarity in their chemical structure.

The appropriate next action for the nurse would be to hold the administration of penicillin G and report this potential penicillin allergy to the prescribing physician immediately for further evaluation and alternative treatment options. It is important to avoid administering any medication that could potentially cause an anaphylactic reaction, which is a life-threatening allergic response.