- Instill the prescribed number of drops into the ear.
- Don’t touch the ear with the dropper; the dropper will become contaminated.
- The patient should remain with his or her head tilted for 2–3 minutes.
When administering nose drops and sprays:- Check the prescriber’s order.
- Ask the patient to blow his or her nose.
- For nose drops.
° Position the patient’s head back if the infection is in the frontal sinus.
° Position the patient’s head to the affected side if the infection is in the
ethmoid sinus.
° Administer the prescribed number of drops.
° tIlt the patient’s head backwards for five minutes after administering
drops. - For nose sprays,
° Tell the patient to close the unaffected nostril.
° Ask the patient to tilt his or her head to the side of the closed nostril.
° Spray the medication.
° Ask the patient to hold his or her breath or open the closed nostril and
breathe through it per the medication instructions.
INHALATION ROUTE
The inhalation route is used to have the patient inhale the medication using an
inhaler. This is a common route used to administer bronchodilators to patients
with breathing problems such as asthma, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease.
The medication enters the lower respiratory tract where it is rapidly absorbed
in the bronchioles providing the patient with relief from bronchospasms, wheez-
ing, asthma, or allergic reactions.
Inhalation is used to deliver antibiotics, steroids and mucolytic agents (drugs
that thin secretions making it easier to clear the bronchi). The patient can expe-
rience side effects such as tremors, nausea, tachycardia, palpitations, ner-
vousness, and dysrhythmias (see Chapter 14).
There are two commonly used inhalers. These are the hand-held nebulizer
and the hand-held metered-dose device. The hand-held nebulizer changes liquid
medication into a fine spray. The hand-held metered dose device is a small,
metal container about 5 to 6 inches high, with a push button spray device on the
top to release the medication.(^102) CHAPTER 6 Route of Administration