The nurse is administering a lozenge to a patient for treatment of a sore throat. Which instruction by the nurse would lead to increased absorption of the medication?

A. "Break the lozenge in half, making it easier to swallow." Breaking the lozenge in half may reduce the effectiveness by altering how the medication is released and absorbed. Lozenge medications are designed to dissolve slowly. B. "Take the lozenge with a glass of milk." Milk could coat the mouth and throat, potentially reducing the absorption of the medication and decreasing its effectiveness. C. "Swallow the medication with a drink of water." Swallowing the lozenge whole would bypass the intended local effect in the mouth and throat, reducing the medication’s effectiveness in treating a sore throat. D. "Suck on the lozenge until it dissolves." Sucking on the lozenge until it dissolves allows the medication to be released slowly and absorbed directly into the tissues of the mouth and throat, where it can have the most therapeutic effect.