A nurse should monitor a client who is receiving cefotaxime sodium (Claforan) for side effects, which include

• A. Diarrhea
• B. Vertigo
• C. Tinnitus
• D. Insomnia

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that broad-spectrum cephalosporins like cefotaxime commonly disrupt the normal intestinal bacteria, which can lead to diarrhea and, in some cases, antibiotic-associated colitis or C. difficile infection. So the side effect you’d monitor most closely is diarrhea—watch for increased stool frequency, watery stools, abdominal cramping, fever, or blood in the stool, and assess hydration and severity, reporting any severe or persistent symptoms.

Vertigo, tinnitus, and insomnia are not typical adverse effects of cefotaxime. If those symptoms occur, they’re not expected from this antibiotic and would prompt evaluation for other causes or drugs.