When a fever of unknown origin prompts culture before antibiotics, which action should the nurse take?

• A. Start antibiotics immediately
• B. Obtain culture prior to antibiotic administration
• C. Delay treatment until cultures return
• D. Administer antipyretic first

Answer: (B)

The best action is to obtain culture specimens before giving antibiotics. Collecting appropriate cultures (such as blood, urine, sputum, or other sites as indicated) first preserves the ability to identify the causative organism and determine its antibiotic susceptibility, allowing therapy to be tailored rather than guessed. Giving antibiotics before cultures can suppress or mask the pathogen, leading to misleading results and less effective treatment. While antipyretics may help with fever, they don’t identify the infection or guide therapy. Delaying treatment until results return can be risky if the patient’s condition is worsening, so cultures are drawn promptly and antibiotics started after specimens are obtained unless the patient is unstable.