Table 4.

Means to improve medication adherence and successful drug administration.

Professional skills of the nurse	Skillful administration techniques
	Knowledge about useful manipulation methods
	Knowledge about the preferences of each individual child
	Firm guidance
Manipulation of drug products	Cutting a tablet into smaller pieces
	Crushing of tablets
	Covering a bad taste of drug with juice or juice concentrate, glucose solution, water with added lemon concentrate, milk, fruit purees or jam (especially raspberry jam is good if the drug is in small pieces)
	Ex tempore manufacturing of dose powders from commercial drug products
	Dispersing of (crushed) tablets and dose powders before administration
Use of administration aids	Coating (Medcoat®) with good taste to cover the drug and facilitate swallowing of tablets, as a whole or in halves or pieces, or capsules.
Consulting different sources of information	Transferring information amongst nurses
	Consulting a clinical pharmacist
	Consulting the hospital pharmacy
	Reading the package information leaflet or summary of product characteristics
Selecting the most appropriate drug product for the child	Ex tempore manufacturing of oral liquids or suspensions
	Choosing the more viscous alternative of two liquid formulations
	Considering the total volume of liquid formulations to be administered
	Using orodispersible tablets and dispersing them with water in a small spoon
	Taking into account possible risks with respect to excipients