Oral Medication

ORAL MEDICATION
Oral administration of drugs is generally the safest, most convenient, and the least
expensive. Drugs for oral administration are available in many different forms: tablets, enteric
coated tablets, capsules, syrups, emulsion, elixirs, oils, suspensions, powders, and granules.
Oral drugs are sometimes prescribed in higher dosage than their parenteral equivalents
because after absorption through the gastrointestinal system, they are immediately broken down
by the liver before they reach the systemic circulation. Nausea, vomiting, inability to swallow
and unconsciousness may contraindicate oral administration.
Purpose: To prepare and administer oral medication safely and accurately so that
patient may receive maximum therapeutic effectiveness from them.
Equipment: OPTIONAL:
1. Medicine/s 10. Spoons as required
2. Medicine ticket/s 11. Mortar and pestle
3. Medicine tray 12. Stirring rod if powder is used
4. Medicine glasses 13. Tongue depressor
5. Medicine dropper/s 14. Drinking straws
6. Syringe/s
7. Glass of water
8. Paper wipes
9. Waste receptacle
Procedure
Action Principles
1. Locate the corresponding The source of the order is more reliable than
medication ticket due for the shift the medication tickets which are only a
and compare it with the doctor’s devices for convenience.
order.
This ensures that no patient is given a
2. Check for history of allergies. Fill up medication containing an ingredient to which
the medication booklet. the patient is allergic.
Organization and planning result in economy
3. Arrange the ticket/s automatically of time and effort and minimize confusion.
either by the location of the patients
or by some other factors. Prevent spread of microorganisms.
4. Wash your hands.
Broken rim of the medicine glass can injure
5. Bring requisites to preparation area. or damage the mucous membrane of the
Check the medicine glass to ensure patient’s mouth or lips.
that the rim is not broken.
For organization of work, avoidance of
6. Take one medicine ticket at a time,
confusion, and ensures safety of patient.
locate medicine in the box, read and
compare label against the medicine
ticket. Note also the expiration date.
Remove the medicine from the box.
Proper checking ensures correct drug is
7. Before pouring or getting the
prepared.
prescribed dose; compare name of
drug on the label with name of drug
on medicine ticket.
8. Pour or prepare prescribed dosage
of medicine in glass as follows:
LIQUIDS
To mix the drug well and obtain the right
a. Shake bottle if necessary
dose.
(suspensions, granules).
Avoid contamination.
b. Remove cap and place it upside
down on the counter.
For accurate measurement.
c. Hold medicine glass with the
non-dominant, with the
thumbnail, marking the level of
the prescribed amount. Read at
eye level using the lower
meniscus.
To ensure that label is intact and could be
d. Hold bottle with the dominant read.
hand with label facing up. Pour
the exact prescribed amount.
Ants and other insects may feast on the
e. Wipe rim of bottle with paper
liquid that is left.
towel. Replace the cap.
TABLETS, PILLS, CAPSULES
a. Using the index finger of the
dominant hand, gently tap the
bottle to allow the prescribed
number of medicine into the
bottle cover.
If in a box, tap the prescribed
number into a dry medicine
glass.
The wrapper keeps the medication clean and
b. Place packaged dose or unit-
dose capsules or tablets directly facilitates identification. When not used, it
into the medicine cup. Do not could be returned to the medication box.
remove the medication from the
wrapper until at the bedside.
POWDERS
a. Shake powder from its base.
b. Add required amount of water to

powder in its container and
shake until thoroughly
dissolved.
DROPS
a. Before inserting the medicine

dropper into the bottle, press
the rubber and draw up the
prescribed amount at eye level.
b. Place the dropper (with
medicine) inside the medicine
glass.
EFFERVESCENT TABLET
a. Read the instructions for

preparation on the label.
b. Pour in a glass the amount of
water required and drop the
effervescent tablet
c. Allow tablet to dissolve completely.
9. When through with medicine Frequent checking ensures the proper
preparation, place ticket and observance of the safeguards in drug
medicine on the tray according to administration.
the hospital protocol.
10. Read again the label on medicine If drugs are spilled or refused, positive
and check against medicine ticket identification as to name and amount can be
before returning the drug/ container made.
to the medicine box.
11. Complete the preparation until all Keeping drugs identified ensures proper
medicines and tickets are on the administration of the correct drug to the
tray. See to it that each medication correct patient.
is in a separate container.
12. Keep medication ticket and drug Ensures accuracy of the prepared medication.
together at all times.
13. Have the CI or nurse check the

prepared medicines. Also, present
the filled up medication booklet for
her signature.
14. While transporting medication to Careful handling and close observation

the patient’s bedside, carefully hold prevent accidental or deliberate
the tray in front and at waist level. disarrangement of medications.
15. At each patient’s bedside:
a. Identify patient before giving Ensures proper identification of patient
medicine. Check the medication consider that illness and strange
ticket, ask the patient to state surroundings often cause patient to be
his name. If the patient is a confused.
child, ask the parents to tell you
the name of the child.
b. Perform any assessment
necessary prior to giving certain Provides data if the medication should be
medication (e.g get BP before given.
giving Nifedipine, Methergin or
get heart rate (HR) before giving
Digoxin . Record result in the
jotdown notebook.
c. Assist patient to sitting or high
Fowler’s position if necessary. Prevents aspiration and promotes swallowing
d. Give the prepared medicine. If of medication.
the patient expresses doubt Consider patient’s right to be beard and thus,
about the medication, always prevent error medication.
recheck the order, drug label,
and dosage stated in the
container.
e. Pour drinking water and hand to Cough syrup is intended to have a soothing
the patient (if not effect in the mucous membrane of the
contraindicated. Cough syrup is throat.
not followed by water).
f. Stay at bedside until patient has
taken the medicine. The presence of the nurse will encourage the
patient to swallow the medicine. Unless the
nurse has seen that the medicine has been
taken, it cannot be recorded that the drug
was administered .
g. Offer additional fluids as
necessary. Fluids facilitate swallowing it helps dissolve
h. Turn medicine ticket after each and dilute solid drugs.
medication . Ensures that medicine has been given
16. Repeat all steps until all medicines

in tray are given.
17. Return medicine tickets to the place

provided for them. Careful management of medication tickets
reduce the possibility of error and losses.
18. Wash all equipment used, dry and
return to their proper place. Wash To deter the spread of microorganism
hands.
19. Immediately record the medications
given. Immediate recording prevents the possibility
a. Affix initial on medication sheet of accidentally repeating administration of
the patient’s chart. the drug.
b. Document on the nurse’s notes.
Include also special factors related
to oral administration (eg. NGT
clamped following administration)
in addition to the usual factors
charted.
SAN PEDRO COLLEGE
Davao City
PERFORMANCE CHECKLIST
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINE BY MOUTH
Name: ________________________________ Grade: ____________________

Year and Sec. _________________ Date : ____________________
Legend: 5 – Excellent; 4 – Very good 3 – Good; 2 – Fair; 1 – Poor
Rating
5 4 3 2 1
1. Checks physician’s orders and finds the corresponding
medication tickets.
2. Arranges the tickets in order in the medication tray.
3. Washes hands.
4. Brings requisites to preparation area.

5. Takes one medicine ticket at a time.
6. Reads first the ticket, locates medicine in the box, reads
label and notes also the expiration date. Removes
medicine from the box.
7. Compares name of drug on label with name of drug on
medicine ticket.
8. Pours or prepares prescribed dosage of medicine in glass
as follows:
Liquids / Suspension:
a. Shakes bottle if necessary
b. Removes cap and places it upside down on the

counter.
c. Holds medicine glass at eye level.

d. Places thumb on prescribed level and reads it at
the lower meniscus.
e. Pours the exact amount of medicine prescribed
into the medicine glass.
f. Wipes rim of bottle with tissue paper and replaces
cap.
Tablets, Pills, Capsules:
a. If in a bottle, gently shakes the prescribed number
into the bottle cover.
b. If in a box, shakes prescribed number into the
medicine glass.
9. Rechecks label of medicine and dosage with the
medicine ticket before returning to its medicine box.
10. Places ticket with corresponding medicine on tray.
11. Takes each remaining ticket in turn until all medicines
and tickets are on the tray.
12. Places each medicine in a separate container.
13. Keeps medication ticket and drug together at all times.
14. Presents prepared medicines and medication booklet to
CI for checking.
15. Transports medications to the patient’s bedside carefully
and keeps the medication tray in sight at all times.
16. At each patient’s bedside:
a. Identifies patient by asking patient to state his
name or by checking the wrist band against the
medication ticket.
b. Assists patient to sit or be in comfortable

position.
c. Hands medicine to patient.
d. Hands drinking water to patient (if not
contraindicated).
e. Stays at bedside until patient takes the
medicine. Makes patient comfortable.
f. Turns medicine ticket to show that medicine has
been given.
17. Returns medicine tickets to the place provided for them.
18. After care of equipment: Soaps, rinses, and dries
equipment used and returns to proper places.
19. A. Initials the medication sheet to the corresponding
drug, time, and date.
B. On the nurse’s notes, documents the:
b. 1 drug, dose, time, route given
b. 2 significant symptoms in relation to drug/s.
b. 3 drug/s that have not been given and reason for
omission.
b. 4 Signature
20. Maintains body mechanics throughout the
performance
of the procedure.
21. Manifests neatness in the performed procedure.
22. Receptive to criticisms.
23. Observes courtesy.
24. Shows calmness while performing the procedure.
25. Uses correct English.
26. Shows mastery of the procedure.
Remarks:
Criteria : I Knowledge (quiz) 30%

II Performance 70%
100%

Oral Medication

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ORAL MEDICATION

b. Add required amount of water to

a. Before inserting the medicine

a. Read the instructions for

13. Have the CI or nurse check the

14. While transporting medication to Careful handling and close observation

16. Repeat all steps until all medicines

17. Return medicine tickets to the place

Name: ____________ Grade:

Legend: 5 – Excellent; 4 – Very good 3 – Good; 2 – Fair; 1 – Poor

4. Brings requisites to preparation area.

b. Removes cap and places it upside down on the

c. Holds medicine glass at eye level.

b. Assists patient to sit or be in comfortable

Criteria : I Knowledge (quiz) 30%

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