Question

The mother of an adolescent tells the clinic nurse, "My son has athlete's foot, I have been applying triple antibiotic ointment for two days, but there has been no improvement." What instruction should the nurse provide?

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the mother to discontinue the use of triple antibiotic ointment for her son's athlete's foot and recommend an antifungal medication, such as clotrimazole, instead.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should instruct the mother to discontinue the use of triple antibiotic ointment for her son's athlete's foot. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection, and triple antibiotic ointment is meant for bacterial infections, not fungi. Instead, the nurse should recommend an antifungal medication, such as clotrimazole, which is commonly used to treat athlete's foot. Clotrimazole is available over the counter as a cream or spray and should be applied to the affected area according to the package instructions.