Download Eye, Ear, Nose and Inhaled Drugs

Eye, Ear, Nose and Inhaled Drugs
Chapter 12
General Rules
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Practice hand hygiene
Follow Standard Precautions
Wear gloves
Use only the dropper supplied by the drug
manufacturer
• Do not let the dropper touch the eye, ear,
nose, face or other body part
• Use separate bottle or tube for each person
Eye Medications
• Position the person properly
– Supine, Sitting or Fowler’s position
– Tilt the head back slightly
• Remove eye secretions with saline & gauze, cotton balls or
wash cloth
– Clean from inner aspect of eye to outer
• Give eye drops at room temperature
• Do not allow container tip to touch any body part
• Apply drops or ointment to the conjunctival sac
– Do not apply directly to eye
• Have person gently close eye
• Use tissue to blot medication that runs out of eye
– Do not rub or wipe
Conjunctival Sac
Ear Medications
• Give ear drops at room temperature
– If refrigerated this may take up to 30 minutes
• Position person in a side-lying position
• Remove excessive amounts of cerumen (ear
wax)
– Use a wet wash cloth
Nasal Medications
• Explain that the medication may cause a
burning or stinging sensation
• Position person properly
– Nose Drops:
• Supine with head over the edge of mattress
– Nasal Spray:
• Sitting or Fowler’s position
• Remind the person not to blow nose after
receiving medication
Inhaled Medication
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions
• Give a bronchodilator before giving a
corticosteroid
• Check inside the inhaler after removing the cap.
– Look for & remove foreign matter
• Have patient rinse mouth after inhaling a
corticosteroid
– Prevents fungal infections in mouth
• Clean inhaler & spacer after use
Eye Medications
(Delegation Guidelines)
• Before administering medications to the eye, you
need the following information:
– If more than one eye medication is ordered
– How long to wait in between medications
• Usually 1-5 minutes
– Observations to report:
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Color of sclera
Redness
Irritation
Drainage
Pain
– When to report observations
Ear Medications
• Otic:
– Pertains to the ear
• Otic medications are use to treat ear
inflammation and infections and or to soften
ear wax (cerumen)
Ear Medications
(Delegation Guidelines)
• Before administering medications to the ear, you need the
following information:
– How long to wait before instilling ear drops in other ear
• Usually 5-10 minutes
– How long to remain in the side-ling position after receiving ear
drops
• Usually 5-10 minutes
– If you need to insert a cotton pledget or plug into the ear
• If yes, how long should it remain (usually 15 minutes)
– What observations to report:
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Redness
Irritation
Drainage
Pain
– When to report observations
Abbreviations
• AD: Right Ear
• AS: Left Ear
• AU: Both Ears
• If you can see excess ear wax, remove it with a
wet wash cloth.
– Do not insert cotton swabs or cotton-tipped
applicator into the ear
Nasal Medications
(Delegation Guidelines)
• Before administering medications to the nose,
you need the following information:
– Have the patient blow nose
– Positioning
• Can the patient be positioned with head over the edge of
the mattress
– Duration that patient needs to remain in supine
position after medicating
• Usually 5 minutes
– How long patient must wait to blow nose after
medication
Nasal Medications
(Delegation Guidelines)
– What observations to report and record
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Redness
Irritation
Drainage
Bleeding
Nasal congestion
Pain
– When to report observations
Inhaled Medications
• Some corticosteroids & bronchodilators are
inhaled into the respiratory tract through the
mouth
– Affect bronchial smooth muscle
– Absorption & onset of action are rapid
Metered-Dose Inhalers
• Metered-Dose Inhalers (MDI):
– Small pressurized canister that contain a spray,
mist of fine powder
– Measured (metered) amount of drug is released
for inhalation each time the dispensing valve is
pushed or squeezed
• Spacer:
– Tube that attaches to the inhaler
– Traps of holds the dose sprayed by the MDI
• Allows the patient to inhale more slowly & completely
Inhaled Medications
(Delegation Guidelines)
• Before administering an inhaled medication, you need
the following information:
– Can the person use the MDI themselves
– How many times to shake the canister
• Usually 4-5 times
– Can the person hold their breath for 10 seconds
– How long to wait if a repeat puff is needed
– How long to wait if there is a second inhaled drug
• Usually 1-3 minutes
– Do you need to measure the amount of medication
remaining in canister
– What observations to report & record
– When to report observations