Nursing - Exam Questions & Answers - Pharmacology

Document Content and Description Below

Describe the differences between local and systemic routes of drug administration, giving examples of each. (7) b. Outline the actions a nurse can take to minimise the occurrence of side effects of ... drugs. (7) 1a) Local routes of administration will result in an effect to the area where the drug has been administered, whereas systemic routes of administration result in absorption into the circulatory system and so can affect the entire body. For example, local routes of administration include eye drops and ear drops, these medications will only have an effect on the eyes and ears respectively and will not enter the circulatory system to have an effect elsewhere. Additionally, this is also true of drugs administered by inhalation (nebulisers, inhalers) as they well only have an effect on the respiratory system and not elsewhere. Conversely medication administered orally will be absorbed at some point in the digestive system and so enter the circulatory system, an example of systemic administration. A further example of this route of administration is injection, as [Show More]

Last updated: 1 year ago

Preview 1 out of 3 pages