Administration of medication by nasal route

Preparation and delivery of prescribed medications nasally and evaluation of patient response.

Objective:

– Administer prescribed medication to the patient nasally for therapeutic purposes. – Educate patient and family on therapeutic regimen.

Equipment:

– Trough.

Material:

– Prescribed medication. – Medical treatment sheet with prescribed medication. – Disposable gloves. – Physiological saline solution. – 1 Syringe of 2-5 cc. – Waste bag. – Sterile gauze. – Paper towelettes. – Nursing records.

Procedure:

– Perform hand washing. – Follow general rules in the administration of medication. – Determine the patient’s knowledge of the medication and understanding of the method of administration. – Put on non-sterile gloves. – Instruct patient to blow nose before application of medication, if not contraindicated.

Administration of drops:

a) Place the patient in the supine position with the head tilted back. b) Hold the patient’s head with the non-dominant hand and open the nostrils by pressing gently on the tip of the nose. The tip of the dropper should be at a 180° angle to the nose. Ask the patient to breathe through the mouth to avoid sneezing. c) Insert the dropper 1 cm without touching the nose and instill the prescribed drops. d) Keep the patient’s head in hyperextension for a few minutes. e) Offer paper towelettes to remove the medication residues without blowing the nose.

Nasal nebulizer:

a) Place the patient in the Fowler or sitting position.

b) Insert the medication cartridge into the nostril, while sealing the other nostril with a finger. c) Compress the container with the fingers to expel the medication and ask the patient to inhale it at the same time. d) Keep the patient’s head tilted backwards for a few minutes. – Leave the patient in a comfortable position. – Collect the material. – Remove gloves. – Wash hands. – Record: medication administered, dose, route, date and time, incidents and patient’s response.