Question

a nurse in a provider’s office receives a call from a client who has been taking penicillin three times daily and reports abdominal cramping with bloody diarrhea for several days. which of the following instructions should the nurse give the client?

• \bring in a stool sample for testing.\
• \take the medication only twice daily.\
• \use an over - the - counter anti - diarrheal medication.\

-
eturn to the clinic for blood work.\

Explanation:

The client's symptoms of abdominal cramping with bloody diarrhea while taking penicillin are indicative of a potential Clostridioides difficile infection, a common adverse effect of antibiotic use. Testing a stool sample is the key step to diagnose this condition. Adjusting the penicillin dose, using anti-diarrheals (which can worsen toxin retention), or blood work are not the priority initial actions for this presentation.

Answer:

A. "Bring in a stool sample for testing."