Question

A 20-year-old female has a prescription for tetracycline. While teaching the client how to take her medicine, the nurse learns that the client is also taking Ortho-Novum oral contraceptive pills. Which instructions should be included in the teaching plan? A. The oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline. B. Nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics. C. Toxicity can result when taking these two medications together. D. Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so the client should use an alternate method of birth control.

Short answer

Answer: Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so the client should use an alternate method of birth control.

Step-by-step solution

Analyzing Option A

Option A states that the oral contraceptives will decrease the effectiveness of the tetracycline. However, this statement is incorrect as antibiotics are known to decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, not the other way around.

Analyzing Option B

Option B indicates that nausea often results from taking oral contraceptives and antibiotics. While nausea might be a side effect of both medications, this option does not address the primary concern of possible interactions between these two drugs.

Analyzing Option C

Option C claims that toxicity can result when taking these two medications together. This statement is generally not true, as tetracycline antibiotics and oral contraceptives do not usually cause toxicity when taken together.

Analyzing Option D

Option D correctly states that antibiotics, like tetracycline, can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives and advises the client to use an alternate method of birth control. This is the accurate instruction to include in the teaching plan, as it addresses the concern related to the interaction between these two medications.

Conclusion

The correct instruction to be included in the teaching plan for the 20-year-old female taking tetracycline and Ortho-Novum oral contraceptive pills is: D. Antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so the client should use an alternate method of birth control.