A 4-year-old child diagnosed with otitis media continues to experience persistent ear pain after being treated with an antibiotic for 24 hours. The nurse practitioner should:

Rationale: A. Changing the antibiotic after only 24 hours is premature; many antibiotics require 48–72 hours to show clinical improvement. B. Increasing acetaminophen dosage without medical guidance may risk overdose and does not address the underlying infection. C. Alternating ibuprofen with acetaminophen can help with pain, but it does not replace the need to assess antibiotic effectiveness. D. Re-evaluating the child after 48–72 hours allows time for the antibiotic to work and ensures appropriate management if symptoms persist.