Answer:
Option C, swallow the medication with a full glass of water
Explanation:
When administering stool softener laxative medication docusate sodium (brand name Colace), the nurse should instruct the patient to swallow the medication with a full glass of water or juice.
This is because stool softener laxatives as a drug class recruit water to be secreted via the colon and incorporated into the stool, thus softening the mass. Administering Colace without increasing fluid intake and or proper fluid replacement can result in signs and symptoms of dehydration and or electrolyte imbalances due to the increased fluid losses.
These medications do not alter peristalsis so the patient should not expect the medication to act rapidly; they can take 3-5 days to work in some cases. Taking the medication on a full stomach or with food may delay the medication's onset of action; it also may be counterintuitive if the foods contains a good supply of fiber, like some apple sauces and yogurts can. Lastly, stool softeners are not known to cause gastric irritation, some antacids can cause laxative effects, and they can damage the coating of the stool softener if in tablet form; so the nurse may want to space out the timing between laxative and antacid by at least two hours.
Therefore, the nurse should instruct the patient to swallow the medication with a full glass of water, option C.
