2024 PN NCLEX Questions Related

Review 2024 PN NCLEX Questions related questions and content

The physician orders the antibiotics ampicillin (Omnipen) and gentamicin (Garamycin) for a newly admitted client with an infection. The nurse should:

  • A. administer both medications simultaneously
  • B. give the medications sequentially, and flush well between them
  • C. ask the physician or pharmacy which medication to give first and how long to wait before giving the other drug
  • D. start one medication now and begin the other medication in 2-4 hours
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is to give the medications sequentially and flush well between them. Ampicillin has a pH of 8-10, while gentamicin has a pH of 3-5.5, making them incompatible when given together. Flushing well between drugs is necessary to prevent any potential interactions. Option A is incorrect because administering both medications simultaneously can lead to incompatibility issues. Option C is incorrect because the nurse should already be aware of the correct administration sequence and not need to consult the physician or pharmacy each time. Option D is incorrect because delaying the second medication by several hours can slow down the treatment of the client's infection, which is not ideal in this scenario.