Which instruction should a medical assistant give a patient for administering an enteric-coated tablet?

When instructing a patient on how to administer an enteric-coated tablet, it's essential to emphasize the importance of swallowing the tablet whole with a glass of water. Enteric-coated tablets are specifically designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the intestines. This coating helps protect the medication from the acidic environment of the stomach and ensures that it is released where it can be most effective.

If the tablet is crushed, broken, or dissolved in the mouth, it can compromise its enteric coating, leading to premature release of the medication in the stomach and potentially causing irritation or reducing its effectiveness. Therefore, proper administration by swallowing the tablet whole is crucial for ensuring the medication works as intended. Additionally, taking the tablet with food may not be appropriate for all enteric-coated medications, as it may alter absorption, and allowing it to dissolve in the mouth is not acceptable since it defeats the purpose of the enteric coating.