ADMINISTERING

MEDICATIONS
ARIEL M. ORTUOSTE
RN, MAN

Objectives
AFTER STUDYING THIS CHAPTER, THE STUDENT WILL
BE ABLE TO:

1. List the ten rights of drug administration.

2. Discuss knowledge and skills needed to
implement the five rights.
3. List requirements of a complete drug
order or prescription.

4. Accurately interpret drug orders

containing common abbreviations.
5. Differentiate drug dosage forms for
various routes and purposes of
administration.

6. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of

oral, parenteral, and topical routes of drug
administration.
7. Identify supplies, techniques, and
observations needed for safe and accurate
administration by different routes.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ACCURATE

DRUG ADMINISTRATION

Follow the TEN rights consistently.

Learn essential information about each drug to
be given (eg, indications for use,
contraindications, therapeutic effects, adverse
effects, and any specific instructions about
administration).
Interpret the prescribers order accurately

TEN RIGHTS in drug administration

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Right patient
Right medication
Right dosage
Right route
Right time &
frequency

6. Right to refuse
7. Right to education
8. Right approach
9. Right documentation
10. Right History &
Assessment

 Read labels of drug containers for the

drug name and concentration (usually in
mg per tablet, capsule, or milliliter of
solution).
Minimize the use of abbreviations for
drug names, doses, routes of
administration, and times of
administration.

 Calculate doses accurately.

Measure doses accurately.
Use the correct procedures and techniques
for all routes of administration
Seek information about the clients medical
diagnoses and condition in relation to drug
administration

 Verify the identity of all clients before

administering medications; check
identification bands on clients who have them
Omit or delay doses as indicated by the
clients condition; report or record omissions
appropriately.
Be especially vigilant when giving medications
to children because there is a high risk of
medication errors.

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
When giving medications, the nurse is
legally responsible for safe and accurate
administration.
the nurse is expected to have sufficient
drug knowledge to recognize and
question erroneous orders.

 The nurse who consistently follows safe

practices in giving medications does not
need to be excessively concerned about
legal liability

MEDICATION ERRORS
Increasing attention is being paid to the
number and consequences of medication
errors.

MEDICATION SYSTEMS
Each agency has a system for
distributing drugs. The unit dose system,
in which most drugs are dispensed in
single dose containers for individual
clients, is widely used.

MEDICATION ORDERS
Medication orders should include the full
name of the client; the generic or trade
name of the drug; the dose, route, and
frequency of administration; and the date,
time, and signature of the prescriber,
usually a physician.

 NOTE:
use only STANDARD
abbreviations.

DRUG PREPARATIONS
AND DOSAGE FORMS

 TABLETS
Regular: PO, GI tube (crushed and mixed with
water)
Chewable: PO
Enteric coated: PO
Extended release (XL): PO
Sublingual: Under the tongue
Buccal: Held in cheek

 CAPSULES
Regular: PO
Extended release (XL): PO

SOLUTIONS
Oral: PO, GI tube
Parenteral: IV, IM SC,
intradermal

Eye Solutions and Ointments

Throat Lozenges
Ear Solutions
Vaginal Creams and
Suppositories
Rectal Suppositories
and Enemas

THANK YOU