Final answer:
The nurse should instruct the client to wait 5 minutes after eating before chewing the nicotine gum to ensure proper absorption. Drinking caffeinated beverages while chewing and using two pieces of gum at once are not recommended, as they can interfere with the effectiveness of the gum and potentially increase side effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
When teaching a client about nicotine polacrilex gum, a smoking cessation aid, it's important to provide accurate usage instructions to increase the chances of quitting successfully. Misuse can reduce effectiveness or increase potential risks. The correct statement a nurse should include in the teaching is: "You should wait 5 minutes after eating to chew the gum." This helps to ensure that the mucous membranes in the mouth can effectively absorb the nicotine. In contrast, caffeinated beverages can affect oral mucosa absorption, and chewing two pieces at once can lead to excessive nicotine intake, exacerbating withdrawal symptoms or adverse effects.
Nicotine polacrilex gum is intended as a temporary measure to manage withdrawal symptoms due to nicotine addiction. It's less harmful than tobacco smoke but could still have undesirable cardiovascular effects. The effectiveness of smoking cessation programs, which often involve nicotine replacement therapies, may vary, and many individuals return to smoking within a year.