NCLEX-RN Anti-infective Flashcards: Vancomycin, Gentamicin, and INH (2026)
NCLEX anti-infective safety: penicillin allergy, vancomycin, gentamicin peaks and troughs, ciprofloxacin, acyclovir, isoniazid, nystatin, and fluconazole. Exam cues, not dosing recipes.
These are licensure study notes, not orders for patient care. Follow your program, your facility policy, and the current test plan.
Study desk
Penicillin Allergy
A history of allergy to penicillin that forces a careful decision about related beta-lactam antibiotics, including many cephalosporins. The serious reaction is anaphylaxis, not a mild stomach upset.
Flip cards, the timed match, and the quiz open in this panel. The full glossary below is ready either way.
Full glossary
Every term, pronunciation, definition, memory hook, and exam trap is written out here so you can review the whole set or print it.
Penicillin Allergy
pen-ih-SIL-in AL-er-jee
A history of allergy to penicillin that forces a careful decision about related beta-lactam antibiotics, including many cephalosporins. The serious reaction is anaphylaxis, not a mild stomach upset.
Mnemonic. A true penicillin allergy is an airway event, not nausea. Ask what happened, then do not test the airway again.
Exam trap. The trap is skipping the follow-up question. Nausea is not anaphylaxis, but hives and throat swelling are not nausea. A cephalosporin is not automatically safe just because it is a different generation.
An antibiotic reserved for serious gram-positive infections, including MRSA. Infusions that run too fast cause red man syndrome. Troughs, kidneys, and hearing are the monitoring story.
Mnemonic. Slow the vancomycin down. Red man flushing is a rate problem; a trough protects the kidney.
Exam trap. The trap is calling flushing anaphylaxis and stopping forever, or running the bag wide open. Red man syndrome is usually a rate reaction. A true allergic reaction is a different stem. Report rising creatinine.
An aminoglycoside antibiotic. Toxicity lands on the kidney and the ear. When it is dosed repeatedly, both peak and trough levels are part of the classic monitoring story.
Mnemonic. Gentamicin is the peak-and-trough drug that can steal hearing and kidney function.
Exam trap. The trap is checking only the peak, or only the creatinine, and missing the tinnitus. Draw the level at the time the order specifies. Do not hang the next dose on a trough that is still too high.
A fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Exam associations include tendon rupture, QT prolongation, and binding with antacids, iron, and calcium that keeps the drug from being absorbed.
Mnemonic. Cipro and tendons do not mix, and the antacid waits.
Exam trap. The trap is giving the dose with the morning calcium or antacid. Separate them. New tendon pain is a stop-and-report item, not a reason to stretch more. Sun sensitivity is part of the teaching.
An antiviral used for herpes-family infections. The kidney is protected by hydration. It treats the episode; it does not cure the latent virus.
Mnemonic. Acyclovir needs water. It quiets the outbreak and does not evict the virus.
Exam trap. The trap is a client who thinks one course cures herpes forever, or an IV dose given to a dehydrated client. Crystalluria and rising creatinine are the exam harm.
A first-line drug for tuberculosis. It can injure the liver and deplete vitamin B6, which shows up as peripheral neuropathy. B6 is the classic supplement in the teaching.
Mnemonic. INH bothers the liver and the nerves. B6 is the nerve story.
Exam trap. The trap is ignoring numb fingers because the cough is better, or missing hepatitis symptoms. No alcohol is part of the teaching. A single drug is not the whole tuberculosis regimen.
A topical or swish-and-swallow antifungal used for oral or skin candidiasis. For thrush, it has to contact the lesions, so the client swishes before swallowing.
Mnemonic. Nystatin has to touch the thrush. Swallowing it like water wastes the contact.
Exam trap. The trap is drinking the dose like a tablet. Teach the swish, then swallow if that is the order, and do not rinse the mouth immediately afterward.
An azole antifungal taken systemically for candida and other fungal infections. It interacts with many drugs through liver enzymes and can affect the liver.
Mnemonic. Fluconazole is the systemic azole. Ask what else the client takes before you treat it as a simple yeast pill.
Exam trap. The trap is a client on several oral drugs who adds fluconazole with no interaction check. Warfarin and some diabetes drugs are classic interaction stems. It is not a swish-and-spit drug.