Question

A client has a prescription for a vaginal cream. Which should the nurse use when placing the cream into the clients vaginal canal?

a. A finger
b. A gauze pad
c. An applicator
d. An irrigation kit

Answer 1

To apply a vaginal cream, a nurse should use an applicator. This ensures hygienic and accurate dosing. For systemic infections, oral administration of antimicrobials is appropriate and convenient for home treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

When administering a vaginal cream, the proper tool to use is an applicator. This allows for the cream to be placed accurately and hygienically into the vaginal canal. This method helps ensure the correct dosage is administered, as opposed to using options like a finger or a gauze pad, which may not provide the accurate dosing and can introduce bacteria. The finger tip unit concept might be used to gauge the amount of cream, though for mucosal applications like vaginal creams, applicators often come with predefined dosage measures. Irrigation kits are not appropriate for the application of creams. A medical item that comes into contact with intact skin and does not penetrate sterile tissues or come into contact with mucous membranes is called a noncritical item.

For home administration of an antimicrobial to treat a systemic infection, the oral route is often considered appropriate and convenient compared to intravenous or parenteral routes which require professional medical oversight and topical application, which may not be effective for systemic infections.