Health Promotion and Maintenance
38. A young child diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia is prescribed a liquid iron supplement. A nurse provides the parents with instructions on administration and should be certain to advise them that:
Health Promotion and Maintenance
38. A young child diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia is prescribed a liquid iron supplement. A nurse provides the parents with instructions on administration and should be certain to advise them that:
. The medication should be given along with the child's morning cereal breakfast.
. The child may experience some pale-colored stools.
. The child should be permitted to sip the medication from a medicine cup.
. The medication can be mixed with a small amount of fruit juice.
Test-Taking Tip
Remember that a frequent recommendation is to administer iron supplements with orange juice. Fruit juices contain vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, which makes Answer 4 the best answer.
Content Area: Child Health, Medication Administration; Integrated Process: Teaching and Learning; Cognitive Level: Application; Client Need/Subneed: Physiological Integrity/Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Medication Administration
Health Promotion and Maintenance
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Answer 1 is incorrect because the iron supplement is best absorbed between meals. Additionally, a bowl of cereal is likely to contain milk, which would impair the absorption of iron. Answer 2 is incorrect because iron supplementation is more likely to cause dark-colored stools. Answer 3 is incorrect because the medication is best administered at the back of the mouth to avoid staining the child's teeth. Answer 4 is correct since iron is best absorbed in the presence of vitamin C. The liquid iron supplement may be mixed with fruit juices such as orange juice to make the medication more palatable while also increasing the absorption.