A nurse is teaching a patient about the correct use of nicotine gum for smoking cessation. Which instruction should the nurse include?

Appeared in: NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Explanation

The correct technique for using nicotine gum is the 'chew and park' method.
This method involves chewing the gum slowly until a peppery or tingling sensation is felt, which indicates nicotine release.
The gum is then 'parked' between the cheek and gum, allowing the nicotine to be absorbed slowly and steadily through the buccal mucosa.
This gradual absorption mimics the nicotine delivery of smoking more safely and helps manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings effectively.

Option A: Chewing the gum rapidly releases nicotine too quickly. This can lead to unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hiccups, and throat irritation, without providing sustained craving relief.
Option B: Swallowing the nicotine-rich saliva is ineffective and can cause harm. Nicotine is poorly absorbed in the acidic environment of the stomach and can cause significant gastrointestinal irritation, including nausea and dyspepsia.
Option D: Acidic beverages like coffee, tea, juices, and sodas lower the pH of the mouth. This acidic environment significantly decreases the buccal absorption of nicotine, making the therapy less effective.

Visual 1: Diagram: An illustration showing the correct placement of nicotine gum 'parked' between the cheek and gum.
Visual 2: Flowchart: A step-by-step visual guide for the 'Chew and Park' method: 1. Chew slowly -> 2. Feel tingle/peppery taste -> 3. Park between cheek and gum -> 4. Wait for tingle to fade -> 5. Repeat.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Patient education for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) using nicotine gum to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Proper patient education on NRT techniques is a key nursing responsibility that directly impacts treatment adherence and smoking cessation success rates.
Nurses must assess the patient's smoking habits (e.g., cigarettes per day) to recommend the appropriate strength of nicotine gum (2 mg or 4 mg).
What if the patient reports a sore jaw or unpleasant taste? The nurse should reassess the patient's technique, reinforcing the need to chew slowly and not continuously, and to rotate the parking spot in their mouth.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the correct patient instruction for a specific medication (nicotine gum).
Recall the standard procedure for administering this medication. For nicotine gum, the key concept is the 'chew and park' method for buccal absorption.
Evaluate each option against this standard procedure.
Option A (chew rapidly) is incorrect because it causes side effects.
Option B (swallow) is incorrect because it leads to GI irritation and poor absorption.
Option D (drink coffee) is incorrect because acidic drinks inhibit absorption.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Patient education for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) using nicotine gum.
Stem keywords: nicotine gum, smoking cessation, patient teaching, correct use
Lead-in keywords: instruction, include
Negative lead-in flag: false

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Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.