med administration 2

Routes of Administration—

Easiest, most common
Most preferred route

Routes of Administration—
Has a slower onset of action and a more prolonged effect than parenteral

Oral Route
Placing the medication under the tongue
Should NOT be swallowed, chewed
Ex: Nitroglycerin (NTG)—Pt. should NOT eat, drink, or chew gum until the medication is completely dissolved

Oral Route
Placing solid medication against the mucous membranes against the cheek until dissolved
Acts locally on the mucosa or systemically as it is swallowed in the saliva

Oral Route-Patient Education

Alternate cheeks with each dose to avoid irritation
Do not chew, swallow the medication
No intake of liquids

Occurs when food, fluid, or medication intended for the GI route enters the respiratory tract.
Always evaluate your patient’s ability to swallow
Fowler’s position or seated position
Lateral position (when swallow, gag, and cough reflexes are intact)

if pt has trouble swallowing?

Routes of Administration—

Injecting a medication into body tissue

what are the routes for parenteral administration

injection into tissues just below the skin

injection into a muscle

injection into a vein

injection into the dermis, just under the epidermis

Routes of Administration

Meds that are applied to the skin, mucous and respiratory membranes

Routes of Administration—Topical

holds the medicated ointment to the skin—application of dosage varies (hours to week)

Types of Ophthalmic Meds (eye meds)

what are problems older adults have installing eye meds?

Avoid instilling any form of eye medication directly onto ?

Avoid touching the eyelids or other eye structures with ?

Use eye medication only for the patient’s

what kind of applications do nasal installations come in

Caution patients to avoid abuse of nose drops or sprays—

Topical Medication ApplicationEar Instillation

what type of medical applications are used with vaginal instillation?

what is the purpose of irrigation

Examples of irrigation are

if there is a break in the skin or mucosa or a sterile cavity, use?

Non-sterile cavity use ?

Irrigation may be required as part of caring for the?

administration of meds by injection are considered an invasive procedure - always use?

types of syringes -

Require special needles that twist on and “lock” themselves in place
The design of this syringe prevents accidental removal of the needle

types of syringes -
Also may be referred to as “slip tip”
Requires special needles to slip onto the tip of the syringe

Long thin barrel with preattached thin needle
Syringe is calibrated in sixteenths of a minim and hundredths of a milliliter
Capacity is 1 milliliter
Used primarily for ID
Can be used for SC

what are the 3 parts of a needle

what length needle do you need for IM injection

what length needle do you need for SQ (SC) injection

what determines what length needle will be used

needles can vary in lenth from what sizes?

Selection of gauge dependent upon

ampules only contain how much medication?

when drawing up medication from am ampule, what kind of needle do you use?

single or multi-dose container that has a rubber seal at the top

Air needs to be injected into a vial before drawing up because it is?

vials can be what types of medications

Medications that are unstable in solution are ?

what specifies the solvent or diluent needed to prepare a desired medication concentration

what are common diluents for vials of medication?

Mixing one med from vial and other from ampule?

Mixing meds from two vials?

When preparing U-100 insulin, what kind of syringe do you use?

Always have a second nurse double-check insulin for right?

how do you mix two types of insulin in a syringe?

Prior to administration of an injection, you must know…

Failure to select an injection site in relation to anatomical landmarks will result in

If you do not aspirate, the med may go directly

Too large of volume of medication causes

Use a sharp-beveled needle in the smallest suitable length and gauge
Position the patient so that muscle tension is decreased.
Select the proper injection site, using anatomical landmarks


these ways to ?

Divert patient’s attention—talk to the patient
Insert the needle QUICKLY and SMOOTHLY to minimize tissue pulling
Hold the syringe steady while the needle remains in tissues
Inject the medication SLOWLY and STEADY.


these are ways to?

Injection of medication into the loose connective tissue under the dermis
Has slower absorption rate than IM

Outer posterior aspect of the upper arms
Abdomen below the costal margins to the iliac crest 2” in. from the umbilicus
Anterior aspects of the thighs
-Recommended site for heparin injections is the abdomen.
Low molecular weight heparin - right or left side of the abdomen. Give 2” from the umbilicus

Fastest to slowest absorption sites for SC/SQ injections

what guage needles are insulin needles

If you are able to grasp 2 inches of tissue, insert ?

if you are able to grasp 1 inch then insert needle at ?


these are for SQ/SC injections

Provides faster absorption than SC

needle legnths & guages for IM injections

when administering an IM injection, what angle does the needle need to be?

never give IM injections in sites with ?

what are the sites for IM injections

Most frequent route of exposure to blood-borne diseases is from