The nurse supervisor notices that the nurse administering medications in a long-term care facility routinely crushes enteric-coated medications so that they can be administered through feeding tubes
How should the nurse supervisor respond to this situation?
1. Tell the nurse that it is okay to crush these medications as long as they can be easily dissolved in water prior to administration.
2. Tell the nurse that enteric-coated or sustained-release medications should never be crushed or altered in any manner.
3. Tell the nurse to continue crushing enteric-coated medications so they can be administered via feeding tube.
4. Tell the nurse that there is no real reason for the enteric coating to be on many medications.
Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: It makes no difference whether the medications can be dissolved in water.
Rationale 2: Enteric-coated and sustained-release medications should never be crushed or altered in any way. The enteric coating helps provide relief from gastrointestinal discomfort. Altering the medication could cause a change in the chemical structure of the drug.
Rationale 3: Enteric-coated medications should not be crushed for administration via feeding tube.
Rationale 4: Enteric coating is on the medications to help reduce the amount of gastrointestinal discomfort and pain.
Global Rationale: Enteric-coated tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or broken. The enteric coating is designed to reduce stomach irritation. It makes no difference whether the medications can be dissolved in water.
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