A nurse is checking the medication label of erythromycin eye ointment before applying it to a newborn’s eyes.
What information should the nurse verify on the label? (Select all that apply)
Name of the medication
Dose of the medication
Expiry date of the medication
Route of administration of the medication
Frequency of administration of the medication
Correct Answer : A,B,C
The correct answer is choice A, B and C. The nurse should verify the name, dose and expiry date of the medication on the label before applying it to a newborn’s eyes.
This is to ensure that the medication is appropriate, safe and effective for the intended purpose.
Choice D is wrong because the route of administration of the medication is already known. Erythromycin eye ointment is applied to the lower eyelids of the newborn’s eyes.
Choice E is wrong because the frequency of administration of the medication is also already known. Erythromycin eye ointment is usually applied once soon after birth.
Erythromycin eye ointment is used for the prevention of neonatal conjunctivitis, which is an eye infection caused by bacteria that can enter the baby’s eyes during childbirth. It can cause serious complications such as blindness if left untreated.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice B. To prevent ophthalmia neonatorum, a serious eye infection caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia.Erythromycin eye ointment is an antibiotic that kills bacteria and is used to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis, which can lead to blindness if untreated.Erythromycin is the only approved agent available in the United States for prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Choice A is wrong because erythromycin eye ointment does not prevent dryness and irritation of the eyes.It is used to treat bacterial eye infections like bacterial conjunctivitis, bacterial keratitis, blepharitis and infectious uveitis.
Choice C is wrong because erythromycin eye ointment does not prevent retinopathy of prematurity, a condition that can lead to blindness in premature infants.Retinopathy of prematurity is caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina and is not related to bacterial infection.
Choice D is wrong because erythromycin eye ointment does not prevent conjunctivitis, a common eye infection in newborns.
Conjunctivitis can be caused by viruses, fungi, parasites or allergens, which erythromycin cannot treat.Erythromycin only prevents conjunctivitis caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice B. 0.5 cm.According to the PEDIATRIC NEWBORN MEDICINE CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES, a thin strip of erythromycin eye ointment should be applied to the lower conjunctival sac of each eye of the newborn within 24 hours after birth.
The length of the strip should be approximately 0.5 cm (or 1/4 inch).This is done to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis, also known as ophthalmia neonatorum, which is a serious eye infection caused by bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Choice A is wrong because 0.25 cm is too short and may not provide adequate coverage of the eye.
Choice C is wrong because 1 cm is too long and may cause excessive ointment to spill out of the eye.
Choice D is wrong because 2 cm is way too long and may cause irritation and discomfort to the eye.
The normal range for erythromycin eye ointment application is 0.5 cm to 1 cm, but the recommended dose is 0.5 cm.
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