Chapter 12-Routes of Administration

Question 1

The routes of medication administration are divided into two categories:

Answer 1

Enteral medications
and
Parenteral medications

Question 2

Define enteral medications

Answer 2

Enteral medications enter the body through the digestive system

Question 3

Typically an enteral medications will be in the form of:

Answer 3

A pill
A liquid
or Cough medicine

Question 4

Most medications administered via this route tend to absorb_____

Answer 4

Slowly

Question 5

Why are emergency medications not absorbed orally?

Answer 5

Delayed absorption would limit their efficacy when time is crucial

Question 6

What are common exceptions to this?

Answer 6

Antipyretics (fever-reducing medications)
and
Aspirin
may be orally administered by EMS providers.

Question 7

What are parenteral mediations?

Answer 7

Parenteral medications enter the body via a route other than the digestive tract, the skin, or the mucous membranes

Question 8

Parenteral medications are often in the _____ form and are generally administered using ____ and _____

Answer 8

liquid
needle or syringe

Question 9

Parenteral medications are usually absorbed ____ and provide a _____

Answer 9

more quickly
provide a more predictable and measureable response

Question 10

Regardless of the route of administration, the end goal is to ____

Answer 10

get the medication into the bloodstream

Question 11

What is the process by which medications travel through body tissues until they reach the bloodstream ?

Answer 11

Absorption

Question 12

The rate at which a medication is absorbed depends on the ___

Answer 12

Route of administration

Question 13

Per rectum means

Answer 13

Through the rectum

Question 14

Per rectum is commonly used with which patients and why?

Answer 14

Children and because of easier administration and more reliable absorption
(children often regurgitate some or all medication)

Question 15

Many medications used for _____ and ______ come in the rectal form

Answer 15

nausea and vomiting

Question 16

Some medications to control _____ are administered PR when it is impossible to administer them intravenously

Answer 16

seizures

Question 17

The PR route is also used for patients who cannot _____ or is unconscious

Answer 17

swallow

Question 18

Per OS means

Answer 18

Oral or by mouth

Question 19

The process of oral educations entering the bloodstream takes about ____

Answer 19

1 hour

Question 20

An advantage to this route is that it is ____

Answer 20

noninvasive
and often less expensive

Question 21

A disadvantage to this administration route is

Answer 21

the unpredictability of medicine absorption

Question 22

If the patient has ___ or _____ the amount of medication absorbed will be altered

Answer 22

vomiting or diarrhea

Question 23

__________ are tablets placed directly onto the tongue where they disintegrate

Answer 23

orally disintegrating tablets

Question 24

How does this help absorption?

Answer 24

Dissolving them directly onto the tongue helps avoid breakdown by gastric acids

Question 25

Intravenous means_____

Answer 25

Into the vein

Question 26

Intravenous route is used for medications that

Answer 26

need to enter the bloodstream immediately

Question 27

IV route is the fastest way to deliver a chemical substance but not all medications can be given via the IV route. For example:

Answer 27

Asprin, albuterol, and oxygen

Question 28

Intraosseous means

Answer 28

into the bone

Question 29

Medications given by this route reach the bloodstream through the ____

Answer 29

bone marrow

Question 30

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 _______

Answer 30

unconscious as a result of cardiac arrest or extreme shock

Question 31

IO can also be used for children who have _____

Answer 31

fewer available or difficult to access IV sites

Question 32

Generally, any medication that can be given by the ____ route can be given IO

Answer 32

IV

Question 33

IO route may be more desirable in critical patients in whom _____ will take longer

Answer 33

IV access

Question 34

Subcutaneous injection means

Answer 34

under the skin

Question 35

A subcutaneous injection is given into the fatty tissue between the _____ and the _____

Answer 35

skin and muscle

Question 36

Why are medications given by this route generally slower?

Answer 36

Because there is less blood here than in the muscle

Question 37

Daily _____ and some forms of ______ can be given by subcutaneous rooute

Answer 37

insulin and epinephrine

Question 38

Subcutaneous injection is useful way to give medications that cannot

Answer 38

be given by mouth

Question 39

Intramuscular means

Answer 39

into the muscle

Question 40

Usually medications that are given IM are absorbed _____ because _____

Answer 40

quickly because because muscles have a lot of blood vessels

Question 41

However not all medications can be administered by the IM route. Possible issues with IM injections are:

Answer 41

Damage to muscle tissue Uneven, unreliable absorption, especially in patients with decreased tissue perfusion or patients in shock

Question 42

You will most likely deliver IM medication using a:

Answer 42

auto-injector

Question 43

How do auto-injectors work? What is a common medication administered via an auto injector?

Answer 43

delivers a predetermined amount of medication into the patient when pressed firmly into the thigh EpiPen for anaphylactic reactions

Question 44

Inhalation

Answer 44

Some medications are inhaled into the lungs so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly

Question 45

Generally, inhalation helps minimize the effects of____

Answer 45

the effect of the medication in other body tissues (some medications are only made to work in the lungs)

Question 46

Inhaled medications come in the form of _____, ______, and _____

Answer 46

aerosols fine powder sprays

Question 47

Sublingual means

Answer 47

under the tongue

Question 48

Medications given by the SL route enter through the____ and are absorbed into the bloodstream within_____

Answer 48

oral mucosa under the tongue and are absorbed into bloodstream within minutes

Question 49

SL route protects medications from____

Answer 49

chemicals in the digestive system, such as acids that can weaken them

Question 50

Transcutaneous (transdermal) means

Answer 50

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

Question 51

Examples of transcutaneous medications include:

Answer 51

Nicotine patches (for people who are trying to stop smoking) Nitroglycerin patches

Question 52

Transcutaneous medications have a ______ effect

Answer 52

Long-lasting effect

Question 53

Intranasal means

Answer 53

Through the nose

Question 54

With intranasal medication, a liquid medication is pushed through a specialized device known as _____

Answer 54

mucosal atomizer device

Question 55

The liquid is _____ and is administered into a nostril

Answer 55

aerosolized

Question 56

why is absorption rather quick with this route?

Answer 56

Mucous membrane lining the sinuses and passageways within the head and neck are very vascular