A nurse is caring for a 2-year-old child who has Clostridium difficile. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Rationale:

A. Alternative care provider: An alternative care provider may offer complementary therapies such as acupuncture or herbal treatments, but they are not specifically trained to assist with functional difficulties related to ADLs.

B. Nutritionist: A nutritionist can help manage diet and nutritional concerns, however, they do not specialize in helping clients adapt to challenges with cooking and eating caused by joint stiffness or pain.

C. Occupational therapist: An occupational therapist specializes in helping individuals adapt to physical limitations that interfere with daily living tasks. They can assess the client's needs and provide strategies, tools, and exercises to enhance independence with activities such as cooking and eating.

D. Dentist: A dentist focuses on oral health and is not involved in helping clients manage limitations in performing ADLs. This referral would be unrelated to the client's current difficulty managing tasks due to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rationale:

A. "Discontinue the medication. I will ask your provider for another antibiotic.": Calf pain in a client taking ciprofloxacin may indicate tendinitis or even tendon rupture, a serious adverse effect associated with fluoroquinolones. The nurse should advise discontinuation of the drug and alert the provider immediately to prevent permanent damage.

B. "That reaction means your dose is too high. Cut the pill in half.": Reducing the dose without provider approval is unsafe and does not address the underlying risk of tendon injury. Ciprofloxacin-related tendinopathy is not dose-dependent and requires immediate discontinuation.

C. "Continue to take the medication. Calf pain is a minor reaction that will resolve itself.": Calf pain during ciprofloxacin therapy should never be dismissed as minor, since it may signal tendon inflammation or rupture.

D. “This is an allergic reaction. Take the medication with an antihistamine.": Tendon-related adverse effects are not allergic reactions and will not respond to antihistamines. Misclassifying the symptom as an allergy delays the proper intervention and increases the risk of irreversible tendon damage.