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Cephalosporins Antibiotics NCLEX Questions Quiz

Cephalosporins nursing pharmacology NCLEX quiz questions for students!

Cephalosporins are a group of antibiotics used to treat various infections. The nurse should know what type of microorganisms this group of medications treat, how they work, side effects, and the nursing considerations for this antibiotic group.

Before taking the quiz, don’t forget to watch the cephalosporins lecture and review the lecture notes.

Cephalosporins (Antibiotics) NCLEX Questions Quiz

1. Cephalosporins are similar to another group of beta-lactam antibiotics called the?(Required)
2. Your patient has just been prescribed Cefazolin to treat an infection. You’re assessing your patient’s medication allergies before administering the medication. What medication allergy verbalized to you by the patient requires you to hold the prescribed medication and contact the prescriber for further orders?(Required)
3. Which Cephalosporin below is known to have the ability to treat MRSA and is considered to be a Fifth Generation Cephalosporin?(Required)
4. The patient is prescribed IV Ceftriaxone. The nurse knows that this medication should never be administered with?(Required)
5. Which Second Generation Cephalosporins below can target gram-negative anaerobes such as Bacteriodes Fragilis? Select all that apply:(Required)
6. Which statements below accurately describe how Cephalosporins work to kill bacteria? Select all that apply:(Required)
7. True or False: Gram-positive bacteria have a thinner peptidoglycan layer than gram-negative bacteria.(Required)
8. Peptidoglycan is made up of a network of polysaccharide strands that consist of ____________ and _______________.(Required)
9. A patient presents to the Emergency Room (ER) after being out with friends at a local restaurant. The patient is experiencing vomiting, nausea, flushing, sweating, and headache. The only medication the patient reports taking recently is Cefotetan. What question should the nurse prioritize in asking the patient?(Required)
10. Your patient recently has been prescribed Cephalexin for an infection. The patient has developed a temperature of 102.2’F, frequent watery stool, and abdominal cramps. You notify the physician who suspects pseudomembranous colitis and orders a C. diff stool test and completed blood count (CBC). The tests are collected and sent to lab. The CBC results arrive back. What finding on the CBC could support a possible pseudomembranous colitis diagnosis?(Required)
11. What signs and symptoms are associated with a hypersensitivity reaction that can present with a Cephalosporin? Select all that apply:(Required)
12. Your patient is taking Cefoxitin. You’re monitoring the patient for a possible adverse reaction known as hypoprothrombinemia. What sign and symptoms below would present with this type of adverse reaction?(Required)

Cephalosporins NCLEX Questions Nursing Pharmacology Review

  1. Cephalosporins are similar to another group of beta-lactam antibiotics called the?
    a. Fluoroquinolones
    b. Aminoglycosides
    c. Macrolides
    d. Penicillins
    The answer is D: Pencillins. Cephalosporins are similar to this group of beta-lactam antibiotics.
  2. Your patient has just been prescribed Cefazolin to treat an infection. You’re assessing your patient’s medication allergies before administering the medication. What medication allergy verbalized to you by the patient requires you to hold the prescribed medication and contact the prescriber for further orders?
    a. Gentamicin
    b. Erythromycin
    c. Penicillin
    d. Ciprofloxacin
    The answer is C. Penicillins and Cephalosporins have a similar chemical structure because they both contain the beta-lactam ring. Therefore, due to this, there is a cross-sensitivity risk. This means the patient may be allergic to a Cephalosporin if they are allergic to Penicillins.
  3. Which Cephalosporin below is known to have the ability to treat MRSA and is considered to be a Fifth Generation Cephalosporin?
    a. Cefazolin
    b. Cefaclor
    c. Cephalexin
    d. Ceftaroline
    The answer is D: Ceftaroline
  4. The patient is prescribed IV Ceftriaxone. The nurse knows that this medication should never be administered with?
    a. Grapefruit juice
    b. Calcium solutions
    c. Saline solutions
    d. Foods containing Tyramine
    The answer is B: Calcium solutions. Ceftriaxone should never be administered with calcium solutions due to the risk of calcium precipitation.
  5. Which Second Generation Cephalosporins below can target gram-negative anaerobes such as Bacteriodes Fragilis? Select all that apply:
    a. Cefaclor
    b. Cefuroxime
    c. Cefoxitin
    d. Cefotetan
    The answers are C and D. Cefoxitin and Cefotetan can target gram-negative anaerobes like Bacteriodes Fragilis
  6. Which statements below accurately describe how Cephalosporins work to kill bacteria? Select all that apply:
    a. “Cephalosporins inhibit bacteria cell wall synthesis.”
    b. “Cephalosporins inhibit the bacteria’s DNA replication process.”
    c. “Cephalosporins have a beta-lactam ring that binds with penicillin-binding-proteins to inhibit successful cross-linking within the cell wall.”
    d. “Cephalosporins inhibit bacteria protein synthesis by binding with the subunit 50S on the ribosome.”
    The answers are A and C. Option B describes the role of Fluoroquinolones, and option D describes the role Macrolides.
  7. True or False: Gram-positive bacteria have a thinner peptidoglycan layer than gram-negative bacteria.
    The answer is False. Gram-positive bacteria have a THICKER peptidoglycan layer than gram-negative bacteria.
  8. Peptidoglycan is made up of a network of polysaccharide strands that consist of _ and ____.
    a. DNA gyrase and topoisomerase
    b. N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid
    c. 30S subunit and 50S subunit
    d. transpeptidase and topoisomerase
    The answer is B: N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM)
  9. A patient presents to the Emergency Room (ER) after being out with friends at a local restaurant. The patient is experiencing vomiting, nausea, flushing, sweating, and headache. The only medication the patient reports taking recently is Cefotetan. What question should the nurse prioritize in asking the patient?
    a. “Have you recently taken a phosphodiesterase inhibitor?”
    b. “Have you recently received a live vaccine?”
    c. “When was the last time you ingested alcohol?”
    d. “Do you have a Penicillin allergy?”
    The answer is C. The patient’s presenting signs and symptoms are associated with a disulfiram-like reaction (alcohol intolerance) which can happen up to three days after taking some types of Cephalosporins (example Cefotetan). The nurse should recognize those signs and symptoms as a possible interaction between alcohol and Cephalosporin, and ask the question about if the patient has recently ingested alcohol.
  10. Your patient recently has been prescribed Cephalexin for an infection. The patient has developed a temperature of 102.2’F, frequent watery stool, and abdominal cramps. You notify the physician who suspects pseudomembranous colitis and orders a C. diff stool test and completed blood count (CBC). The tests are collected and sent to lab. The CBC results arrive back. What finding on the CBC could support a possible pseudomembranous colitis diagnosis?
    a. Low platelet count
    b. Elevated red blood cell count
    c. Low hemoglobin
    d. Elevated white blood cell count
    The answer is D: elevated white blood cell count. Pseudomembranous colitis causes major inflammation of the large intestine affected by a C. diff infection (antibiotic-associated colitis). It presents with severe watery stool, fever, abdominal cramps, and elevated white blood count (leukocytosis). It can happen with other antibiotics like Fluoroquinolones, especially if high doses are ordered for long periods.
  11. What signs and symptoms are associated with a hypersensitivity reaction that can present with a Cephalosporin? Select all that apply:
    a. Hyperglycemia
    b. Skin rash
    c. Dizziness
    d. Intense pruritus
    Apraxia
    The answers are B and D: skin rash and intense pruritus (this term means “itching”). In addition, in worst cases, anaphylaxis can occur. If any of these signs and symptoms present, the medication should be discontinued and the physician should be notified for further orders.
  12. Your patient is taking Cefoxitin. You’re monitoring the patient for a possible adverse reaction known as hypoprothrombinemia. What sign and symptoms below would present with this type of adverse reaction?
    a. Ecchymosis
    b. Paraesthesia
    c. Jaundice
    d. Cyanosis
    The answer is A. Hypoprothrombinemia is a condition where there is low prothrombin in the blood. This increases the patient’s chances of bleeding. It can present with usual bleeding and bruising (also called ecchymosis). The reason this occurs is because vitamin-K’s role in clotting is altered which affects prothrombin.

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