Health Promotion and Maintenance
67. A nurse is preparing to administer an unpleasant-tasting liquid medication to a toddler. What is the best method for administering this medication?
Health Promotion and Maintenance
67. A nurse is preparing to administer an unpleasant-tasting liquid medication to a toddler. What is the best method for administering this medication?
. Mix the medication with a cup of ice cream to mask the taste.
. Ask the child to choose between two types of fluids as a chaser.
. Request the parents hold the child firmly so the nurse can place the medication into the mouth.
. Offer the child a toy out of the toy box as a reward if the child agrees to take the medication.
Test-Taking Tip
Toddlers need to be provided with real, not false, choices. A nurse should calmly tell the child that the medication must be swallowed, then work with the child to find the least offensive way to accomplish this task.
Content Area: Child Health, Medication Administration; Integrated Process: Nursing Process, Implementation; Cognitive Level: Comprehension; Client Need/Subneed: Physiological Integrity/Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Medication Administration
Health Promotion and Maintenance
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Answer 1 is incorrect because mixing medications with food may not improve the taste. Also, once the medication is mixed with food, there is typically more volume for the child to swallow since the child must take all the food to get all the medication. Answer 2 is correct because the child should be given a choice of fluid chaser to wash the unpleasant taste out of the mouth following ingestion of the medication. The child is not given a choice of whether or not to take the medication. Answer 3 is incorrect because it is best for the nurse to elicit the cooperation of the child rather than forcing the medication into the mouth. Answer 4 is incorrect because offering the child a toy does not guarantee that the child will agree to take the medication. Additionally, if the nurse gives a toy this time, the child will expect a similar reward with each dose of this medication.