Which instruction would the nurse include in the teaching plan for a patient newly diagnosed with microcytic hypochromic anemia?

Choice A rationale:

Maximizing cardiac output is a primary goal for patients with chronic heart failure (HF) because it helps improve tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery to meet the body's demands. It is a crucial aspect of managing heart failure and preventing further complications.

Choice B rationale:

Maintaining ideal body weight is important for overall health but is not a primary goal specific to chronic heart failure management.

Choice C rationale:

While exercise is beneficial for heart failure patients, it needs to be tailored to the patient's condition. Performing aerobic exercises daily might not be suitable for all heart failure patients and is not a primary goal.

Choice D rationale:

Maintaining a steady pulse oximetry reading is important, but it is a measure of oxygen saturation in the blood and not a primary goal for managing chronic heart failure.

Choice A rationale:

Enteric-coated iron is designed to be absorbed in the small intestine, not the stomach. Taking it with each meal might decrease its absorption due to interaction with food.

Choice B rationale:

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency can cause macrocytic anemia, not microcytic hypochromic anemia. Taking cobalamin with green, leafy vegetables does not address the specific iron deficiency seen in microcytic hypochromic anemia.

Choice C rationale:

Take the iron with orange juice 1 hour before meals is the correct answer. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme iron (the type of iron found in plant-based foods and iron supplements) by reducing it to a more absorbable form. Taking iron supplements with orange juice, which is high in vitamin C, can significantly improve iron absorption. Taking it before meals ensures better absorption due to reduced interaction with other dietary components.

Choice D rationale:

Decreasing the intake of antiseizure medications will not improve microcytic hypochromic anemia. Antiseizure medications do not directly influence iron absorption or the production of red blood cells.