A nurse is preparing to administer an oral elixir to a 3-month-old infant using an oral medication syringe. Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?

A. Measure the elixir in a medicine cup before transferring to a syringe:

This option involves measuring the medication using a medicine cup before transferring it to an oral medication syringe. While measuring the medication accurately is important, transferring it from a medicine cup to a syringe introduces an extra step that may increase the risk of spillage or dosage error. It's generally more efficient and accurate to directly draw the medication into the oral syringe.

B. Place the infant supine in a crib prior to administration:

Placing the infant in a supine (lying flat on the back) position in a crib prior to administering oral medication is not recommended, particularly for infants of this age. This position increases the risk of choking or aspiration, as it may cause the medication to flow toward the back of the throat rather than being swallowed properly. It's safer to administer oral medication to infants in an upright or slightly reclined position.

C. Position the syringe to the side of the infant's tongue:

This is the correct choice. Positioning the syringe to the side of the infant's tongue helps facilitate swallowing and reduces the risk of choking or aspiration. Placing the syringe toward the cheek allows the infant to more easily swallow the medication, as it minimizes the chance of the medication flowing toward the back of the throat.

D. Mix the medication with 10 mL of formula:

Mixing medication with formula is not a standard practice for administering oral medication using an oral syringe, particularly without specific instructions from the healthcare provider. Mixing medication with formula may alter the medication's effectiveness and is unnecessary for most oral medications. It's important to administer oral medication directly using an oral syringe to ensure accurate dosing and effectiveness.