OTC

[AALRN]

What is the general rule in regards to suggesting OTC meds for your patients, because i think this is a form of prescribing meds, which is obviously not allowed. a med surg book asked this question:

A patient with hypertension asks the nurse what he can do to relieve the symptoms of an acute URI. The nurse recommends that he do which of the following?

1.Ask his healthcare provider for an antibiotic prescription.

2. Use an over-the-counter decongestant such as pseudoephedrine to relieve symptoms.

3. Take 1000 mg of vitamin C and use zinc lozenges on a regular basis.

4. Use an over-the-counter nasal spray for no more than three days to relieve congestion.

THE ANSWER WAS:

4) Over-the-counter nasal spray is the best choice to relieve URI manifestations in the patient with hypertension, since its effects are local, not systemic. The duration of

use is limited to prevent rebound.

i feel this answer was wrong. because nurses aren't able to suggest meds for patients to use...

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

They question was asking what the best possible solution is. An antibiotic isn't indicated for URI symptoms, so that answer is wrong. All of the other options involve an OTC treatment, so it's safe to say whatever practice Suzy RN works in is ok with nurses suggesting OTC treatments. Zinc, despite it's popularity, has little to no evidence to support its efficacy at resolving URI symptoms. Pseudoephedrine is contraindicated with hypertension. That leaves D. The addition of "for no more than three days" shows that this option is really covering its bases, which is another clue you can look for that it's the correct choice.