The caregivers of a 1-year-old boy tell the nurse they are frustrated because the medication their child requires daily comes in pill form, which they have been unable to get him to swallow.
Which of the following would be appropriate advice for the nurse to give these caregivers to help them make sure the child gets the full dose of medication each day?
A) Grind the tablet to a powder and give it to the child in the pureed peas he loves to eat.
B) Dissolve the tablet in water and add a little corn syrup; have him drink the resulting fluid.
C) Hold him firmly on the caregiver's lap and insert the tablet beneath his tongue; hold his mouth firmly shut for a minute or so until his urge to expel the tablet passes.
D) Break the tablet into smaller pieces and put them beneath his tongue. Remember that babies need to learn how to swallow, so if he thrusts the pill piece out of his mouth, simply push it back in.
Question 2
The nurse is administering an oral medication, which comes in an elixir form. When giving the medication, the child begins to choke and sputter. The nurse confers with the pharmacist about alternate ways to give the medication to this child.
The pharmacist might recommend that the nurse should:
A) dilute the elixir so that the medication is not as hard to swallow.
B) ask the care provider to change the order to give a drug that comes in a suspension.
C) mix the medication with food so the medication will be easy to swallow.
D) give the medication in a glass of orange juice.