A spoonful of sugar won’t help this medicine go down.
Usually when that phrase is uttered most people won’t take a sample, but Mount Royal University nursing students and Alberta Children’s Hospital nurses took the taste test head on.
ACH registered nurse and MRU instructor Zenaida Roxas has tasted the nastiest, most bitter medicines the hospital has to offer sick children but as part of a two-year program she shares the tastes with students one drop at a time.
“It’s an opportunity for health-care professionals to experience what the children go through when they are taking these medicines and become more empathetic,” Roxas said.
Hospital pharmacist Tim Kraft said the program is invaluable and also allows the staff to learn which after treatments are best for the medicines.
“There are certain chocolates or candies or popsicles that help take away that bitter, disgusting taste,” Kraft said.
And 13-year-old AHC patient Nicole Wuetherick agreed but was happy to share the medicines with her nursing staff.
“They are just really disgusting medicines. I can’t really describe it. They aren’t good at all,” she said.
