Question

Critical Thinking and Prioritization Questions 1. A mother calls the clinic to ask how to give a tablet to her 4-year-old son. He is refusing to swallow it and won't chew it because it "tastes icky." The mother says she is ready to force her son to take this medication. What is the nurse's priority action and why? 2. A woman in her third trimester of pregnancy is having a checkup and asks for aspirin for a headache. What is the nurse's best response?

Answer 1

1.aYoung children present unique challenges because they cannot be motivated by logic. They cannot grasp the cause and effect of "Take this;it will make you feel better.if they do not like the taste ,they will not swallow it.Another challenge is that before the age of 5years children may not be able to swallow tablets and capsules.Give the child a frozen fruit or frozen flavoured ice pop just before medication. This helps to numb the taste buds to weaken the taste of the medication.

2. The nurse should first check the drug reference and find that aspirin is a pregnancy category D drug if given as a full dose in the third trimester of pregnancy.This means that there is possible fetal risk in humans and use of the drug would be decided on after considering the benefit versus the risk of drug.There are other choices for headache treatment that fall into safer pregnancy categories.Therefore the nurse will advise her not to take the aspirin and to consult her prescriber for an acceptable alternative for treatment of headache.