Question

A 60-year-old female presents with the complaint of a sore throat. She voices frustration that “the antibiotics are not working this time.” Further discussion reveals that she is taking “leftover” antibiotics that were prescribed for her husband 3 years ago.

a) What teaching is needed to help this patient develop an understanding of the proper administration of the prescribed antibiotics?

b) Explain the issue of bacterial resistance, how it is a concern for this patient, and measures to help prevent resistance.

Answer 1

a. Patient is old and have a major sore throat that means she got frustration as it is not treated well. She is taking her husband medicine which is very dangerous for her health also including her treatment. Antibiotics are the chemical compound use to kill bacteria in high dilution. Here strong patient education needed to tell lady not to take such antibiotics for self treatment. I suggest we shall take her personal interview and understand her that that antibiotics which is 3 year old is expired, if you take you may faced lethal adverse drug reaction which is very fatal. Second thing we also tell her that for particular infection there is special antibiotics so you used that one not your husband antibiotics.

Provide her pictorial presentation about antibiotics uses and it's ADR.

B. Bacterial resistance means resistance to particular medicine and it is largely observed with antibiotics. We use steroidal antibiotics for the treatment of throat infection which is also have bacterial resistance.

In above patient bacterial resistance seen because she is taking her husband medicine that is not effective in treatment of her throat infection.

Here measure is that council the patient and tell her not to take husband antibiotics and tell her every morning washed mouth with warm sodium chloride solution.