The nurse is the health care professional who will administer medication. This chapter describes responsibilities related to nurses in the administration of all medications except parenteral (see Chapter 7). Medications can be administered by a variety of routes or methods, each determined by the different preparations of drugs that influence the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (pharmacokinetics) in the body. It is imperative that the appropriate form of a drug be administered.

Every medication has the potential to harm a patient. Nurses must be aware that:

• No medication is completely safe and absolutely free of nontherapeutic effects.
• Medication interactions are common in individuals taking many medications.
• When one medication modifies the action of another, a medication interaction occurs (Perry, Potter, & Ostendorf, 2014).

The nurse administering medication is responsible for ensuring full understanding of medication administration and its implications for patient safety.