رجل عمره ٦٤ سنة دخل الجناح بالتهاب رئوي، حرارته ٣٩٫٠، والتنفس ٢٦، والتشبع ٩٢٪ على أكسجين، والضغط ١١٢/٧٠. أوامر الطبيب: مزرعة بلغم، ومزرعة دم، ومضاد حيوي وريدي. ما الترتيب الصحيح؟

A 64-year-old man is admitted with pneumonia: T 39.0 °C, RR 26, SpO2 92% on oxygen, BP 112/70. Orders: sputum culture, blood cultures and IV antibiotics. What is the correct sequence?

1. Wait for culture results before giving the antibiotic
2. Take only the sputum culture after the first dose
3. Start the antibiotic, then take cultures two days later
4. Take cultures first, then start the antibiotic without delay

Answer: D) Take cultures first, then start the antibiotic without delay. Cultures before antibiotics improve the chance of identifying the organism, but antibiotics are not significantly delayed for them, especially in severe illness or sepsis.