Which step should be completed before intranasal administration?

Which step should be completed before intranasal administration?

• A. Verify nasal passages are clear
• B. Administer immediately without checking expiration
• C. Attach syringe to atomizer only after pre-assembly
• D. Ensure syringe, nasal atomizer and medication are intact, serviceable, and check expiration date

Answer: (D)

Before intranasal administration, you must confirm that the medication and delivery system are ready and safe to use. The step that covers this most completely is verifying that the syringe, nasal atomizer, and medication are intact and serviceable, and checking the expiration date. This protects the patient from receiving a damaged device, an altered dose, or a medication that has degraded and may be ineffective or harmful. While assessing whether the nasal passages are clear can influence effectiveness, it doesn’t address the safety and readiness of the equipment or the validity of the medication. Skipping expiration checks or proceeding without confirming equipment integrity can lead to unsafe administration and poorer outcomes.

Before intranasal administration, you must confirm that the medication and delivery system are ready and safe to use. The step that covers this most completely is verifying that the syringe, nasal atomizer, and medication are intact and serviceable, and checking the expiration date. This protects the patient from receiving a damaged device, an altered dose, or a medication that has degraded and may be ineffective or harmful. While assessing whether the nasal passages are clear can influence effectiveness, it doesn’t address the safety and readiness of the equipment or the validity of the medication. Skipping expiration checks or proceeding without confirming equipment integrity can lead to unsafe administration and poorer outcomes.