Route of drug administration 
is the path by which a drug or other substance is brought into contact
with the body. Drugs are introduced into the body by several routes. When administering a drug, the nurse should ensure
that the pharmaceutical
Route
preparation is appropriate for the route specified.
Advantages
Oral ·Most convenient
·Usually least expensive
·Safe, does not break skin barrier
·Administration usually does not
cause stress
Sublingual ·Same as oral route, plus
·Drug can be administered for local
effect
·More potent than oral route
because drug directly enters the
blood and bypasses the liver
Disadvantages
·Inappropriate for patients
with nausea and vomiting
·Drug may have unpleasant taste or
odor
·Inappropriate whengastrointestinal
tract has reduced motility
·Inappropriate if patient cannot
swallow or is unconscious
·Cannot be used before certain
diagnostic tests or surgical
procedures
·Drug may discolor teeth, harm tooth
enamel
·Drug may irritate gastric mucosa
·Drug can be aspirated by seriously
ill patients
·If swallowed, drug may be
inactivated by gastric juice
·Drug must remain under tongue
until dissolved and absorbed
·Drug is rapidly absorbed into the
bloodstream
Buccal ·Same as sublingual ·Same as sublingual
Rectal ·Can be used when drug has ·Dose absorbed is unpredictable
objectionable taste or odor
·Drug released at slow, steady rate

Vaginal ·Provides a localtherapeutic effect ·Limited use

Topical ·Provides a local effect ·Maybe be messy and may soil

·Few side effects clothes
·Drug can enter body through
abrasions and cause systemic
effects

Transdermal ·Prolonged systemic effect ·Leaves residue on the skin that

·Few side effects may soil clothes
·Avoids gastrointestinal absorption
problems

Subcutaneous ·Onset of drug action faster than ·Must involve sterile

oral technique because breaks skin
barrier
·More expensive than oral
·Can administer only small volume
·Slower than intramuscular
administration
·Some drugs can irritate tissues
and cause pain
·Can produce anxiety
Intramuscular ·Pain from irritating drugs is ·Breaks skin barrier
minimized ·Can produce anxiety
·Can administer larger
volume than subcutaneous
·Drug is rapidly absorbed

Intradermal ·Absorption is slow (this is an ·Amount of drug administered

advantage in testing for must be small
allergies) ·Breaks skin barrier

Intravenous ·Rapid effect ·Limited to highly soluble

drugs
·Drug distribution inhibited
by poor circulation

Inhalation ·Introduces drug throughout ·Drug intended for localized

respiratory tract effect can have systemic effect
·Rapid localized relief ·Of use only for therespiratory
·Drug can be administered to system
unconscious client