Chapter 12-Routes of Administration Flashcards
The routes of medication administration are divided into two categories:
Enteral medications
and
Parenteral medications
Define enteral medications
Enteral medications enter the body through the digestive system
Typically an enteral medications will be in the form of:
A pill
A liquid
or Cough medicine
Most medications administered via this route tend to absorb_____
Slowly
Why are emergency medications not absorbed orally?
Delayed absorption would limit their efficacy when time is crucial
What are common exceptions to this?
Antipyretics (fever-reducing medications)
and
Aspirin
may be orally administered by EMS providers.
What are parenteral mediations?
Parenteral medications enter the body via a route other than the digestive tract, the skin, or the mucous membranes
Parenteral medications are often in the _____ form and are generally administered using ____ and _____
liquid
needle or syringe
Parenteral medications are usually absorbed ____ and provide a _____
more quickly
provide a more predictable and measureable response
Regardless of the route of administration, the end goal is to ____
get the medication into the bloodstream
What is the process by which medications travel through body tissues until they reach the bloodstream ?
Absorption
The rate at which a medication is absorbed depends on the ___
Route of administration
Per rectum means
Through the rectum
Per rectum is commonly used with which patients and why?
Children and because of easier administration and more reliable absorption
(children often regurgitate some or all medication)
Many medications used for _____ and ______ come in the rectal form
nausea and vomiting
Some medications to control _____ are administered PR when it is impossible to administer them intravenously
seizures
The PR route is also used for patients who cannot _____ or is unconscious
swallow
Per OS means
Oral or by mouth
The process of oral educations entering the bloodstream takes about ____
1 hour
An advantage to this route is that it is ____
noninvasive
and often less expensive
A disadvantage to this administration route is
the unpredictability of medicine absorption
If the patient has ___ or _____ the amount of medication absorbed will be altered
vomiting or diarrhea
__________ are tablets placed directly onto the tongue where they disintegrate
orally disintegrating tablets
How does this help absorption?
Dissolving them directly onto the tongue helps avoid breakdown by gastric acids
Intravenous means_____
Into the vein
Intravenous route is used for medications that
need to enter the bloodstream immediately
IV route is the fastest way to deliver a chemical substance but not all medications can be given via the IV route. For example:
Asprin, albuterol, and oxygen
Intraosseous means
into the bone
Medications given by this route reach the bloodstream through the ____
bone marrow
This involves drilling a needle into the outer layer of the bone. Because of this pain level, this route is mostly used in patients who are _______
unconscious as a result of cardiac arrest or extreme shock
IO can also be used for children who have _____
fewer available or difficult to access IV sites
Generally, any medication that can be given by the ____ route can be given IO
IV
IO route may be more desirable in critical patients in whom _____ will take longer
IV access
Subcutaneous injection means
under the skin
A subcutaneous injection is given into the fatty tissue between the _____ and the _____
skin and muscle
Why are medications given by this route generally slower?
Because there is less blood here than in the muscle
Daily _____ and some forms of ______ can be given by subcutaneous rooute
insulin and epinephrine
Subcutaneous injection is useful way to give medications that cannot
be given by mouth
Intramuscular means
into the muscle
Usually medications that are given IM are absorbed _____ because _____
quickly because because muscles have a lot of blood vessels
However not all medications can be administered by the IM route. Possible issues with IM injections are:
Damage to muscle tissue
Uneven, unreliable absorption, especially in patients with decreased tissue perfusion or patients in shock
You will most likely deliver IM medication using a:
auto-injector
How do auto-injectors work? What is a common medication administered via an auto injector?
delivers a predetermined amount of medication into the patient when pressed firmly into the thigh
EpiPen for anaphylactic reactions
Inhalation
Some medications are inhaled into the lungs so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly
Generally, inhalation helps minimize the effects of____
the effect of the medication in other body tissues
(some medications are only made to work in the lungs)
Inhaled medications come in the form of _____, ______, and _____
aerosols
fine powder
sprays
Sublingual means
under the tongue
Medications given by the SL route enter through the____ and are absorbed into the bloodstream within_____
oral mucosa under the tongue and are absorbed into bloodstream within minutes
SL route protects medications from____
chemicals in the digestive system, such as acids that can weaken them
Transcutaneous (transdermal) means
through the skin
Transdermal patches contain massive quantities of medication that may be released rapidly if patients are chewed or taken improperly
Patches containing opioids like fetanyl continually release medication and may complicate resuscitation efforts if left in place on critical patients
Examples of transcutaneous medications include:
Nicotine patches (for people who are trying to stop smoking)
Nitroglycerin patches
Transcutaneous medications have a ______ effect
Long-lasting effect
Intranasal means
Through the nose
With intranasal medication, a liquid medication is pushed through a specialized device known as _____
mucosal atomizer device
The liquid is _____ and is administered into a nostril
aerosolized
why is absorption rather quick with this route?
Mucous membrane lining the sinuses and passageways within the head and neck are very vascular
