49. A home health nurse is visiting an older client. The client asks the nurse about splitting the simvastatin tablet that has been ordered. Which response should client teaching include?
49. A home health nurse is visiting an older client. The client asks the nurse about splitting the simvastatin tablet that has been ordered. Which response should client teaching include?
. All medications can be split safely.
. Let the pharmacy split an extended-release tablet.
. Wash and dry the tablet-splitting device after each use.
. If the drug is enteric-coated, splitting changes the therapeutic response.
Test-Taking Tip
Review the rules for safely splitting tablets.
Content Area: Geriatrics, Pharmacology; Integrated Process: Teaching and Learning; Cognitive Level: Application; Client Need/Subneed: Physiological Integrity/Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Medication Administration
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Answer 1 is incorrect because this is an incorrect statement. Answer 2 is incorrect because extended-release tablets should never be split. Answer 3 is correct because, if splitting can be done, an approved device should be used. Clean between usages. Answer 4 is incorrect because, while splitting enteric-coated tablets defeats the protective function of the enteric coating, it does not change the drug effect. Enteric-coated tablets should never be split; gastric irritation would be likely.