A nurse is assessing the patient's home medication use. After listening to the patient list current medications, the nurse asks what priority question?

A. While medication adherence is important, the primary reason for asking about alternative therapies is not due to concerns about compliance. Patients may use alternative therapies alongside prescribed medications, potentially leading to harmful interactions.

B. Many complementary and alternative therapies, such as herbal supplements, can interact with prescribed medications, leading to adverse effects or reduced drug efficacy. For example, St. John’s Wort can decrease the effectiveness of certain medications, including anticoagulants and antidepressants. Identifying these therapies ensures patient safety.

C. While some natural products may have therapeutic benefits, they are not necessarily more effective than prescribed medications. Healthcare providers should base treatment decisions on evidence-based practice rather than assuming an alternative therapy is superior.

D. Financial concerns are important but not the primary reason for inquiring about alternative therapies. The nurse’s main concern is the potential for harmful drug interactions rather than the cost burden on the patient.

a) Oral medications, such as oral analgesics, undergo a disintegration process in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Tablets and capsules must break down into smaller particles to be dissolved and absorbed.

b) Subcutaneous medications bypass the GI tract and are absorbed directly into the tissue, so they do not require a disintegration process.

c) Intramuscular injections are directly absorbed into the bloodstream from muscle tissue and do not require disintegration.

d) Intravenous drugs are delivered directly into the bloodstream and are immediately available for action, eliminating the need for disintegration.