A nurse is preparing to administer enteric-coated aspirin to an older adult client who had a cerebrovascular accident and has difficulty swallowing medications. The client asks the nurse if she will crush the medication to make it easier to swallow. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

Correct Answer: C - That would release all the medication at once, rather than over time.

Rationale: Enteric-coated aspirin is designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the small intestine to prevent irritation to the stomach lining. Crushing the medication would disrupt the enteric coating, causing the medication to be released in the stomach instead of the small intestine. This can lead to irritation of the stomach lining and potentially increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. It is important for the medication to be released gradually over time to ensure its effectiveness and safety.

Summary:
A: Incorrect - Stomach acid inactivation is not the primary concern with crushing enteric-coated aspirin.
B: Incorrect - Stomach ache or indigestion is a possibility, but the main issue is the incorrect release of the medication.
D: Incorrect - Mixing crushed enteric-coated aspirin with ice cream would still disrupt the enteric coating and lead to improper release.