Questions: Which action would the nurse perform first when caring for an older adult client on 10 days of antibiotics who reports frequent loose stools? Obtain stool specimens for culture. Place the client on contact precautions. Discuss proper handwashing with the client. Notify the health care provider about the loose stools.

Solution Steps

The client is experiencing loose stools after 10 days of antibiotics. This suggests a possible _Clostridium difficile_ infection, a common side effect of antibiotic therapy. _C. difficile_ can range in severity from mild diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. It's crucial to identify and manage it promptly.

While all options are important aspects of care, there's a clear priority. Obtaining stool samples is the most important initial action. The loose stools could be due to a simple change in gut flora, or they could indicate _C. difficile_, which is contagious and requires specific treatment. Without knowing the cause, the other actions are less effective. For example, contact precautions are crucial if it's _C. difficile_, but unnecessary if it's not.

The first action should be to obtain stool specimens for culture. This allows the healthcare team to determine the cause of the diarrhea and implement appropriate treatment quickly. The other actions are important subsequent steps. Once the stool culture results are available, the healthcare provider should be notified. If _C. difficile_ is confirmed, the client needs to be placed on contact precautions and reinforced on proper handwashing techniques.

Final Answer