Texts: Georgia Sully has been diagnosed with an active TB infection after several months of increasing fever, night sweats, productive cough, and weight loss. She is prescribed isoniazid (INH), ethambutol (Myambutol), rifampin (Rifadin), and pyrazinamide (PZA) for 6 months. She is also given instructions to take a daily dose of pyridoxine (vitamin B6). She lives in a state that requires directly observed therapy (DOT) for all patients receiving treatment for active TB.
This activity contains 3 questions.
Georgia is worried and questions the nurse about why she is receiving four different drugs for her tuberculosis. How would you respond? Discuss why Georgia is receiving vitamin B6 supplements.
Georgia asks what "directly observed therapy" is and why she needs it. What would you explain about DOT?
Mrs Murphy is 80 years old and lives in a retirement community for lower income older adults. You are the community health nurse visiting with her. As part of your assessment, you ask Mrs. Murphy how she obtains her prescribed medications. The patient explains that most of the time, her neighbor will pick up prescriptions for her. She further explains that in some cases, however, she has "stockpiled" medicines she has been prescribed. When you investigate, you find that the patient has multiple bottles of various types of unused antibiotics. Some of the drugs were prescribed 5 or 6 years ago.
This activity contains 2 questions.
Describe how you would respond to this situation.
Identify the health teaching needs of this patient regarding stockpiling (saving) antibiotics.