Treatment
It is critical for legal protection and for quality of patient care that this section of the protocol be clear and specific. There may not be a selection of therapies. It should be clear from the specifics of the particular patient what course of therapy should be followed:
Treatment
1. Rest, humidity, acetaminophen for fever and body aches
2. Antibiotics
a. Penicillin V potassium 250 mg q.i.d. in adults, 30 mg/kg per day in 4 divided doses for children.
b. If the patient has red TMs or pustular tonsils, give amoxicillin 250 mg t.i.d. in adults and children over 45 lb, 125 mg t.i.d. in children over 15 lb.
c. If the patient is allergic to penicillin, give erythromycin estolate 250 mg q.i.d. for adults, 30 mg/kg per day in 4 divided doses for children.
d. If the patient is intolerant of both penicillin and erythromycin, consult the physician.
Following this treatment protocol requires reasonable skill by the NPP in determining the correct medicine and calculating doses. It does not, however, allow any exercise of judgment as to which drug to use. That is defined by the characteristics of the patient.