A nurse is preparing to administer an enteric-coated oral medication to a client who is having difficulty swallowing.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A rationale:

Instructing the client to chew the medication is not recommended for enteric-coated tablets as it could result in stomach upset or damage to the protective coating.

Choice B rationale:

Placing the medication on the client’s tongue allows for easier swallowing without compromising the integrity of the enteric coating.

Choice C rationale:

Dissolving the medication in juice is not recommended as it could damage the enteric coating and result in stomach upset.

Choice D rationale:

Placing the medication between the client’s cheek and gum is not typically recommended for enteric-coated tablets as it could result in discomfort or damage to the protective coating.

To solve this problem, we first need to convert the client’s weight from pounds to kilograms. Then, we can calculate the total amount of amikacin needed. Finally, we can find out how many milliliters of amikacin injection the nurse should administer.

1. Convert the client’s weight to kilograms: Given that 1 kg = 2.2 lbs, we can calculate the client’s weight in kilograms as follows:

Weightinkg=WeightinlbsConversionfactor=110lbs2.2lbs/kg≈50kgWeightinkg=ConversionfactorWeightinlbs​=2.2lbs/kg110lbs​≈50kg

1. Calculate the total amount of amikacin needed: The doctor ordered 5 mg of amikacin per kg of body weight, so the total amount of amikacin needed is:

Totalamikacin=Doseperkg×Weightinkg=5mg/kg×50kg=250mgTotalamikacin=Doseperkg×Weightinkg=5mg/kg×50kg=250mg

1. Find out how many milliliters of amikacin injection the nurse should administer: Given that the available amikacin injection is 250 mg/mL, we can calculate the volume of injection needed as follows:

Volumeofinjection=TotalamikacinConcentrationofinjection=250mg250mg/mL=1mLVolumeofinjection=ConcentrationofinjectionTotalamikacin​=250mg/mL250mg​=1mL

So, the nurse should administer 1 mL of amikacin injection.