A nurse is preparing to administer DSW 1200 mL IV to infuse over 8 hours. The nurse should set the IV pump to deliver how many mL/hr? (Round to the nearest whole number & fill in the blank with the numerical value only)

A. The safe and toxic plasma levels of the drug are very close to each other: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between the minimum effective concentration and the toxic concentration. Small dosing errors or individual variations in metabolism can lead to toxicity or subtherapeutic effects, requiring close monitoring.
B. The drug has a wide range between its effective dose and toxic dose: This describes a drug with a wide therapeutic index, which allows more flexibility in dosing without significant risk of toxicity. Narrow therapeutic index drugs are the opposite and require precise dosing.
C. The drug requires infrequent monitoring of serum levels: Medications with a narrow therapeutic index often require frequent serum level monitoring to ensure that the drug stays within the safe and effective range. This helps reduce the risk of adverse effects or treatment failure.
D. The drug has a high margin of safety in clinical use: A high margin of safety is characteristic of drugs with a wide therapeutic index. Narrow therapeutic index drugs have a low safety margin and pose higher risks if not carefully dosed and monitored.

A. Take the medication with milk: Milk contains calcium, which inhibits the absorption of iron by binding with it in the gastrointestinal tract. Taking ferrous sulfate with milk significantly reduces its effectiveness in treating iron-deficiency anemia.
B. Take the medication with orange juice to enhance absorption: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in orange juice enhances the absorption of non-heme iron like ferrous sulfate by maintaining it in a more soluble and absorbable form. This maximizes the therapeutic benefit.
C. Take the medication on an empty stomach to decrease gastrointestinal irritation: Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach, but it often causes GI upset, including nausea and constipation. Patients are typically advised to take it with a small amount of food if intolerance occurs not specifically to reduce GI irritation from the start.
D. Rinse the mouth before taking the iron: Rinsing the mouth beforehand has no clinical benefit. However, patients should be advised to rinse their mouth after taking liquid iron to prevent staining of the teeth, a known side effect of the liquid formulation.