INSTILLING NASAL DROPS
NURSING PROCEDURES LIST CLICK HERE
Instillation of medication into the nose in the form of nasal drops
Purpose
- To diagnose nasal conditions
- To relieve inflammation and congestion in case of rhinitis
- To prevent and control bleeding
General Instructions
- It is a clean procedure
- Avoid touching, the tip of nose with dropper since it may contaminate
- Avoid touching the inner surface of the nose with dropper since it may cause the patient to sneeze
- Position the patient as necessary to provide medicine flow to the affected area
- Do not use oily solution as nasal drops since it interferes with the normal ciliary action
- Do not use of decongestants excessively or frequently as they become ineffective and may actually worsen the patient’s nasal congestion
- Instruct the patient remain in the same position for sometime following instillation to allow the medicine to act on mucus membrane of anterior nares and then drain into the posterior nares
Equipment
A small tray containing
- Medicine with rubber tipped dropper
- Handkerchief or little clean cotton and paper bag
Procedure
- Hand wash
- Arrange the articles at the bed side
- Explain the procedure to the patient
- Draw up the medicine in dropper
- Position the patient flat supine with head slightly to the affected side to provide flow to the Eustachian tube
- Insert the tip of dropper just inside the nares and instill the drops as ordered
- Ask the patient to remain the position for five minutes and avoid blowing the nose
After Care
- Place the patient in comfortable position
- Replace the articles
- Hand wash
- Record the procedure in nurse’s record
