Antibiotic Resistance Case Study

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Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important issues facing health care today, with wide reaching future implications if abuse continues. In the United States alone, antibiotic resistance is responsible for over two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths per year. Providers need to be judicious in the disbursement of these life saving pharmacological agents, while being informative of why antibiotics are not always the answer (Talkington, Cairns, Dolen, & Mothershed, 2014). In the case listed below, several issues need to be addressed including perception, knowledge deficit, and the caregiver’s role. This paper will focus on whether a prescription for antibiotics is appropriate and other courses of action that may be taken instead.
Case …show more content…

Smith brings his 4-year-old to your office with chief complaints of right ear pain, sneezing, mild cough, and low-grade fever of 100 degrees for the last 72 hours. Today, the child is alert, cooperative, and well hydrated. You note a mildly erythemic throat with no exudate, both ears mild pink tympanic membrane with good movement, lungs clear. You diagnose an acute upper respiratory infection, probably viral in nature. Mr. Smith is states that the family is planning a trip out of town starting tomorrow and would like an antibiotic just in case.
Directions:
Create a communication plan for Mr. Smith and/or families for both prescriptive and non-prescriptive drug therapies. Describe what you would tell Mr. Smith and the child. Provide resources that Mr. Smith could access which would provide information concerning your …show more content…

Explanation would include that antibiotics are only appropriate in bacterial infections and that viral illnesses do not respond to antibiotic treatment. Viral illnesses include runny nose, colds, bronchitis, flu, sore throats, and fluid in the middle ear. Bacterial illnesses include whooping cough, strep throat, and urinary tract infections (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014c). Explain that antibiotic overuse, which is estimated that 50% of antibiotics prescribed are not necessary, leads to development of drug-resistant germs and that antibiotics are important in combating life-threatening bacterial infections. By abusing antibiotics for ineffective viral treatments, it increases the likelihood for an individual to become infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection in the future (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014a). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov have wonderful handouts that can be given to patients and their families to better understand the implications and proper use of antibiotics and the consequences of abuse.
Prescriptive Drug Therapies
At this time, no prescriptive drug therapies are indicated; however, over-the-counter medications (OTC) may be used to relieve symptoms, which include a decongestant either oral or topical in

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