Prospective, Randomized, Pilot Study Evaluating the Effect of Ice Chips Administration versus None on the Bitterness of Crushed Medications in Postoperative Bariatric Patients

Background: Providing bariatric patients medications postoperatively is challenging. Research is warranted to determine a method to improve patient perception of crushed medication bitterness and/or taste. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether a nursing intervention of administering ice chips to postoperative bariatric patients' tongues before and after administering crushed medications would result in improved patient perception of bitterness and/or taste. Methods: In this pilot, prospective study, 100 adult subjects were randomized to either the intervention group (ice chips intervention) or the control group (no ice chips). Intervention-group subjects provided pre- and post-ice scores for bitterness and taste on a validated 5-point categorical scale (bitterness: 1 = “least bitter,”, 2 = “less bitter,” 3 = “neutral,” 4 = “more bitter,” 5 = “most bitter”; taste: 1 = “least unpleasant,” 2 = “less unpleasant,” 3 = “neutral,” 4 = “more unpleasant,” 5 = “most unpleasant”). Control-group subj...