Question

The client comes to the emergency department with a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, and is in serious respiratory distress. The client's spouse tells the nurse that the client has a known hypersensitivity to epinephrine (Adrenalin). What is the best response by the nurse?

1. "This is a life-threatening situation; a prior hypersensitivity is not an absolute contraindication."
2. "I will let the physician know about this immediately; we will need to choose an alternative medication."
3. "This is a problem; we will need to use IV diphenhydramine (Benadryl)."
4. "I'm not sure what we can use then. Do you know what has been used before with this allergic response?"

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the physician about the client's hypersensitivity to epinephrine and collaborate on selecting an alternative medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response by the nurse in this situation would be option 2: "I will let the physician know about this immediately; we will need to choose an alternative medication."

Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, as it can counteract the drop in blood pressure and relax bronchial smooth muscle. However, if the client has a known hypersensitivity to epinephrine, an alternative medication will need to be used to treat the allergic reaction. The nurse should inform the physician and collaborate on selecting a different medication that is safe for the client to administer.