Which should the nurse teach the parent of a child with suspected meningitis? 1. Antibiotics are not initiated until the cerebrospinal fluid cultures are definitive for specificity to prevent...

1. Antibiotics are not initiated until the cerebrospinal fluid cultures are definitive for specificity to prevent resistance.

2. Antibiotics are useless against viral infections, so they are not used for meningitis.

3. Antibiotics should be started before the cerebrospinal fluid cultures are definitive; culture results may take up to 3 days.

4. Antibiotic initiation is based on the age, signs, and symptoms of the child, not on the causative agent.