Question

To which patient should the nurse plan to administer round-the-clock antipyretic drugs?

A 76-yr-old patient with bacterial meningitis and a temperature of 104.2°F
An 82-yr-old patient after hip replacement surgery and a temperature of 100.4°F
A 14-yr-old patient with infectious mononucleosis and a temperature of 101.6°F
A 59-yr-old patient with an acute myocardial infarction and a temperature of 99.8°F

Answer 1

Administer round-the-clock antipyretic drugs to the patient with bacterial meningitis and a very high fever of 104.2°F to prevent complications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should plan to administer round-the-clock antipyretic drugs to a 76-year-old patient with bacterial meningitis and a temperature of 104.2°F. This patient's high fever is indicative of a serious infection and warrants continuous fever management to prevent further complications. Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency and requires aggressive treatment which includes antipyretics to control the high fever that could potentially cause brain damage or exacerbate the illness.

In contrast, the other patients listed do not exhibit symptoms that necessarily warrant round-the-clock antipyretic treatment. Fevers in those scenarios are either not indications of a medical emergency or do not reach the threshold that typically requires continuous fever management.