What is the appropriate nursing response to a parent who asks, ...

[fbq8i]

What is the appropriate nursing response to a parent who asks, What should I do if my child cannot take a tablet?
 
  a. You can crush the tablet and put it in some food..
  b. Find out if the medication is available in a liquid form..
  c. If the child can't swallow the tablet, tell the child to chew it..
  d. Let me show you how to get your child to swallow tablets..

Question 2

Which factor should the nurse remember when administering topical medication to an infant?
 
  a. Infants require a larger dosage because of a greater body surface area.
  b. Infants have a thinner stratum corneum that absorbs more medication.
  c. Infants have a smaller percentage of muscle mass compared with adults.
  d. The skin of infants is less sensitive to allergic reactions.

[14vl19]

Answer to Question 1

B
A tablet should not be crushed without knowing whether it will alter the absorption, effectiveness, release time, or taste. Therefore telling the parent to find out whether the medication is available in liquid form is the most appropriate response. A chewed tablet may have an offensive taste, and chewing it may alter its absorption, effectiveness, or release time. Forcing a child, or anyone, to swallow a tablet is not acceptable and may be dangerous.

Answer to Question 2

B
Infants and young children have a thinner outer skin layer (stratum corneum), which increases the absorption of topical medication. A similar dose of a topical medication administered to an infant compared with an adult is approximately three times greater in the infant because of the greater body surface area. The smaller muscle mass in infants affects site selection for injected medications. The young child's skin is more prone to irritation, making contact dermatitis and other allergic reactions more common.

[fbq8i]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[Alyson.hiatt@yahoo.com]

Excellent