Unit 41 - Working with Medication in Health and Social Care
Institution
Pearson (PEARSON)
P1: Describe the routes of administration of different types of medication commonly prescribed to individuals.
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Unit 41 - Working with Medication in Health and Social Care
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Unit 41 P1 Routes of medication administration Megan Scully
P1: Describe the routes of administration of different types of medication commonly
prescribed to individuals.
Oral route:
Numerous medications are administered orally as tablets, liquids, chewable tablets or capsules. This
is due to the fact that oral medications are generally the most convenient, least expensive and
safest, which is why it is the most commonly used route of administering medication. The oral route,
however has limitations due to the fashion in which the drug travels through the digestive tract.
Orally administered medications may commence absorption within the mouth and stomach,
however, many medications are absorbed within the small intestine. When medication is
administered orally other medications and food may alter the amount of the medication absorbed
and also the period of time it takes to be absorbed. Consequently, some medications must be
consumed with food, others must be taken on an empty stomach, others must not be combined
with other medications and some medications cannot be administered orally whatsoever. Few orally
administered medications can cause irritation to the digestive tract, for example, most non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory medications can cause damage to the stomach lining and small intestine, with the
potential of causing or intensifying pre-existing stomach ulcers. Other medications are poorly
absorbed within the digestive tract or are removed by the digestive enzymes and stomach acids.
Other medication administration routes are required when medications cannot be administered
orally, for example:
When an individual is unable to consume anything orally
When medications must be administered in specific doses or promptly
When a medication is unpredictably or poorly absorbed within the digestive tract
Parenteral route:
Parenteral administration (injection) involves the following routes:
Subcutaneous – Beneath the skin
Intravenous (I.V) – Into a vein
Intrathecal – Around the spinal cord
Intramuscular (I.M) – Into a muscle
A medicinal product may be prepared or produced to lengthen the medicine absorption from the
site of injection for long periods of time. Products such as these, therefore require to be
administered less often than drug products with swifter absorption rates.
The subcutaneous route requires a needle to be implanted into the fatty tissue located beneath the
skin. Once the medicine is dispensed it travels into the capillaries and is transported through the
bloodstream. Alternately, the medicine may enter the bloodstream via the lymphatic vessels.
Protein medications that are relatively large, for example, insulin, generally enter the bloodstream
via the lymphatic vessels as the medication travels gradually from the tissues and into the capillaries.
The subcutaneous route is chosen for a majority of protein based medications as they would be
terminated within the digestive tract if taken orally. Specific medications are administered through
the insertion of capsules under the skin, for example, progestins which are administered as
hormonal birth control.
For the intravenous method of administration, a needle is implanted into a vein. A liquid containing
the medication may be administered in a single dosage or by a gradual continuous infusion. For the
infusion route, the liquid is transported by gravity or, more frequently, using an infusion pump
through a catheter implanted into a vein, often located on the forearm. I.V dispensation is often the
most efficient way to administer a precise dose in little time whilst also in a controlled fashion. The
intravenous route is also used for aggravating solutions, which would cause tissue damage and pain
if administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously. I.V injections may present more problems that
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