Question

The nursing instructor is teaching a student nurse about sodium polystyrene sulfonate. Which statement by the student nurse indicates the need for further teaching?

A. "The drug is effective in treating a paralytic ileus."
B. "It can be administered as an enema."
C. "The drug helps exchange potassium for sodium."
D. "It is mixed in water with sorbitol and then administered."

Answer 1

The incorrect statement is that sodium polystyrene sulfonate is used for treating paralytic ileus. It is actually used to treat hyperkalemia by exchanging potassium for sodium, and can be administered either as an enema or orally, mixed with water and sometimes sorbitol.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement by the student nurse that needs further teaching is: "The drug is effective in treating a paralytic ileus." Sodium polystyrene sulfonate is not used for treating paralytic ileus, but rather, it is a cation-exchange resin that helps exchange potassium for sodium to treat hyperkalemia. This medication can indeed be administered as an enema or orally, where it is commonly mixed with water and sometimes sorbitol before administration. It works by exchanging sodium for potassium in the intestines, which is then eliminated through the stool. It is typically administered orally or through a nasogastric tube, rather than as an enema.