A patient is ordered to take an extended-release medication twice daily but has difficulty swallowing the tablet because of its size. The nurse will perform which action?
a. Contact the provider to discuss an alternate form of the medication.
b. Crush the tablet and put it in applesauce to help the patient swallow it.
c. Cut the tablet in half so the patient can take it more easily.
d. Dissolve the tablet in liquid.
ANS: A
Enteric-coated and extended-release tablets must be swallowed whole to maintain a therapeutic drug level since they are designed to be absorbed in the small intestine. If crushed, an initial excessive release of the drug may occur, causing toxicity. Enteric-coated or extended-release tablets should not be dissolved in liquid. The nurse should contact the provider to discuss another form of the medication.
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