Question

a nurse is teaching a client about taking ferrous sulfate to treat iron - deficiency anemia. which of the following instructions should the nurse include? (select all that apply.)

• eat iron - enriched foods.
• spread the dosage across each day.
• take the medication on an empty stomach.
• report dark green or black stools.
• increase dietary fiber intake.

Explanation:

• "Eat iron - enriched foods": Combining iron - rich diet with iron supplementation helps improve iron levels, so this is correct.
• "Spread the dosage across each day": Spreading the dosage (e.g., 2 - 3 times a day) can enhance absorption and reduce side effects, so this is correct.
• "Take the medication on an empty stomach": Iron absorption is better on an empty stomach (though it may cause GI upset, but it's a valid instruction for better absorption), so this is correct.
• "Report dark green or black stools": Dark stools are a normal side effect of iron supplementation (due to iron oxidation in the gut), so reporting is not needed, this is incorrect.
• "Increase dietary fiber intake": Iron supplements can cause constipation, so increasing fiber helps prevent that, this is correct.

Answer:

A. Eat iron - enriched foods, B. Spread the dosage across each day, C. Take the medication on an empty stomach, E. Increase dietary fiber intake