A nurse is administering erythromycin eye ointment to a newborn who has a history of allergic reaction to penicillin.
What should the nurse do before applying the ointment?
A.
Ask the mother if she has any allergies to antibiotics
B.
Check if there is any cross-sensitivity between erythromycin and penicillin
C.
Apply a small amount of ointment on the skin to test for allergic reaction
D.
Administer an antihistamine to prevent anaphylaxis
The correct answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Check if there is any cross-sensitivity between erythromycin and penicillin.
Explanation:
Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic, while penicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic. There is generally no cross-sensitivity between these two classes of antibiotics, meaning an allergy to penicillin does not usually indicate a risk of an allergic reaction to erythromycin. However, it is still good practice to verify this information to ensure patient safety. Erythromycin is commonly used to prevent eye infections in newborns, and checking for any possible cross-sensitivity helps in ruling out potential risks before administration.
Options A, C, and D are not appropriate in this context:
- A: Asking the mother about her allergies is useful, but the focus should be on cross-sensitivity rather than the mother’s history of antibiotic allergies.
- C: Applying a small amount of ointment on the skin for testing is not recommended for assessing allergic reactions to eye ointments.
- D: Administering an antihistamine as a precaution is not standard practice unless there is a known allergy or prior reaction to erythromycin.