Practice Test Geeks(PSA) Prescribing Safety Assessment Practice Test
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Antimicrobial Prescribing Flashcards

7 cards from real PSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Antimicrobial Prescribing flashcards as text

  1. A patient with confirmed MRSA bacteremia requires IV antibiotic therapy. Which agent is the first-line choice?

    Answer: Vancomycin

    Vancomycin is the first-line agent for MRSA bacteremia due to its reliable activity against methicillin-resistant strains.

  2. A patient with a severe penicillin allergy (anaphylaxis) develops a skin and soft tissue infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Which antibiotic is most appropriate?

    Answer: Vancomycin

    Vancomycin is the safest option in true penicillin anaphylaxis, as cross-reactivity with beta-lactams remains a concern despite being low with cephalosporins.

  3. A healthy 35-year-old presents with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring outpatient treatment with no comorbidities. What is the preferred first-line regimen?

    Answer: Amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily

    Current US guidelines recommend amoxicillin as first-line monotherapy for outpatient CAP in patients without comorbidities or risk factors for drug-resistant organisms.

  4. A premenopausal woman presents with an uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection. Urine culture grows E. coli susceptible to all agents tested. Which antibiotic is preferred due to stewardship concerns?

    Answer: Nitrofurantoin

    Nitrofurantoin is preferred for uncomplicated UTI to preserve fluoroquinolones and avoid broader-spectrum agents when susceptibility is not known at initiation.

  5. Which antibiotic class provides the most reliable coverage against anaerobic organisms, making it useful for intra-abdominal infections?

    Answer: Metronidazole

    Metronidazole has excellent anaerobic coverage and is a cornerstone agent in the treatment of intra-abdominal and pelvic infections.

  6. A hospitalized patient develops Clostridioides difficile colitis classified as non-severe. What is the first-line treatment?

    Answer: Oral vancomycin 125 mg four times daily

    Current IDSA guidelines recommend oral vancomycin (or fidaxomicin) over metronidazole as first-line therapy for non-severe C. difficile infection due to superior outcomes.

  7. A patient requires eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori. Which regimen is recommended as first-line in areas with clarithromycin resistance >15%?

    Answer: Bismuth quadruple therapy (PPI + bismuth + tetracycline + metronidazole)

    Bismuth quadruple therapy is preferred in regions with high clarithromycin resistance, as it avoids clarithromycin and achieves superior eradication rates.