Routes of Administration

Question 1

Oral Routes

Answer 1

Slow onset of action and more prolonged effect. Easiest and most common.

• Sublingual Administration - e.g. nitroglycerin medication placed under tongue to dissolve - don’t swallow or drink.
• Buccal Administration - solid medication placed against the mucous membranes of the cheek until it dissolves

Question 2

Parenteral Routes

Answer 2

Injecting a medication into body tissues.

1. Intradermal (ID): Injection into the dermis just under the epidermis
2. Subcutaneous: Injection into tissues just below the dermis of the skin
3. Intramuscular (IM): Injection into a muscle
4. Intravenous (IV): Injection into a vein

Question 3

Other Routes

Answer 3

Epidural - epidural space (around spinal cord) via a catheter for analgesia

intrathecal - through a catheter surgically placed in the subarachnoid space or one of the ventricles of the brain to reach CSF.

intraosseous - medication administration involves the infusion of medication directly into the bone marrow. used most commonly in
infants and toddlers who have poor access to their intravascular space or
when an emergency arises, and IV access is impossible.

intraperitoneal - Medications administered into the peritoneal cavity are absorbed into the
circulation. Chemotherapeutic agents, insulin, and antibiotics are administered in this fashion.

intrapleural - A syringe and needle or a chest tube is used to administer intrapleural
medications directly into the pleural space e.g. chemotherapeutic agents.

intraarterial - administered directly into the arteries.common in patients who have arterial clots and
receive clot-dissolving agents.

Question 4

Routes usually limited to physicians and not nurse

Answer 4

Intracardiac - an injection of a medication directly into cardiac tissue

intraarticular - an injection of a medication
into a joint

Question 5

Topical Administration

Answer 5

Medications applied to the skin and mucous membranes- local effects. Apply to skin by painting or spreading the medication over an area, applying moist dressings, soaking body parts in a solution, or giving medicated baths.
Apply to mucous membranes by:
1. Direct application of liquid/ ointment (e.g., eyedrops, gargling, or swabbing throat)
2. Insertion of a medication into a body cavity (e.g., placing suppository in rectum/vagina)
3. fluid instil in body cavity (e.g., eardrops, nose drops, or
bladder and rectal instillation [fluid is retained])
4. Irrigation of a body cavity (e.g., flushing eye, ear, vagina, bladder,
or rectum with medicated fluid [fluid is not retained])
5. Spraying a medication into a body cavity (e.g., instillation into nose and throat)

Question 6

Inhalation Route

Answer 6

Nurses administer inhaled medications
through the nasal and oral passages or endotracheal or tracheostomy
tubes. Endotracheal tubes enter the patient’s mouth and end in the trachea,
whereas tracheostomy tubes enter the trachea directly through an incision
made in the neck.Inhaled medications are readily absorbed and work
rapidly because of the rich vascular alveolar capillary network present in
the pulmonary tissue.

Question 7

Intraocular Route

Answer 7

Intraocular medication delivery involves inserting a medication similar to
a contact lens into a patient’s eye. The eye medication disk has two soft
outer layers that have medication enclosed in them.