A home health nurse is teaching a patient taking ferrous sulfate. Which patient statement indicates teaching is needed?

• A. It tastes better when I take my medicine with milk.
• B. I should take my medicine with orange juice.
• C. I am careful not to break open the capsule.
• D. I usually take my iron with whole-grain toast.

Answer: (A)

Ferrous sulfate works best when iron is absorbed in the presence of vitamin C and without calcium. Calcium from dairy products like milk binds iron and reduces its absorption, so taking iron with milk is not helpful and shows a gap in teaching. Choosing orange juice provides vitamin C that enhances absorption, and swallowing the capsule intact avoids GI irritation that can happen if it’s opened or crushed. Eating iron with whole-grain toast introduces fiber and phytates that can slightly impede absorption, but that interaction is not as strong as the dairy effect. So the statement about milk best signals a need for patient education.