Exam Guide
Penicillin Allergy and an Amoxicillin Order
Foundations of Practice & Clinical Judgment · Question from the ATI PN Fundamentals 2023 Proctored Exam study set
Correct answer: Clarify the prescription for amoxicillin with the provider
Why this is the answer
Amoxicillin is a penicillin-class antibiotic; a client with a penicillin allergy is at risk for a hypersensitivity reaction, so the nurse must clarify or question this order with the provider before administering it. (Additional actions, such as requesting an antiemetic or specific precautions, would depend on other client-specific findings not implied by the allergy itself.)
The bigger concept
The medication rights include checking allergies before every new drug, and knowing drug families is what makes the allergy check meaningful. Amoxicillin, ampicillin, and piperacillin are all penicillins; cephalosporins carry a smaller cross-reactivity risk. When an order conflicts with a documented allergy, the PN/VN holds the dose, clarifies with the provider, and documents the clarification — administering and 'watching closely' is never the right answer.
Related Foundations of Practice & Clinical Judgment practice questions
- UTI Findings the PN Should Report to the Provider
- Tasks a Nurse Can Assign to Assistive Personnel
- First Action for a Client With Mild Hypothermia
- Reporting Wheezing During a New IV Antibiotic
- Recognizing Anaphylaxis After a New Antibiotic
Keep studying
← Back to the PN Fundamentals study guide hub · Practice all 70 questions free in the quiz engine