Review the medical records of several children who are on a pediatric unit in your agency. Note the type of medication, route ordered, and specific interventions needed for each child related to medication administration and developmental age, including atraumatic care interventions.

Tasks:
1. Interview several parents about their experiences in giving medications to their children. From these interviews, develop a teaching sheet that provides tips to facilitate oral medication administration to children.

2. Create a chart that compares and contrasts the subcutaneous (SQ), intramuscular (IM), and intravenous (IV) methods of medication administration. Include examples of medications given via these routes, onset of action, appropriate sites, and necessary safety measures for each.

3. Compile a list of the most commonly used routes of medication administration:
A) Oral, SQ, IV
B) Oral, IM, IV
C) SQ, IM, IV
D) Oral, SQ, IM

When administering medications to children, the most common routes are oral, subcutaneous (SQ), intramuscular (IM), and intravenous (IV), each with specific considerations and safety measures. Oral route allows for convenience and independent care, while parenteral routes like SQ, IM, and IV offer various benefits such as faster absorption or immediate effects, but require more careful monitoring. Therefore is the correct option is C.

Explanation:

The most commonly used routes of medication administration in pediatric patients are oral, subcutaneous (SQ), intramuscular (IM), and intravenous (IV). Each route has its own specific interventions related to both the medication administration and the developmental age of the child, which should include atraumatic care interventions.

Oral administration is generally preferred because it allows for convenience and independent care at home. However, medication absorption can be slower and more variable due to factors like food in the stomach or individual gastrointestinal differences. Subcutaneous injections are administered into the fatty tissue beneath the skin, suitable for medications like insulin. Intramuscular injections are given directly into the muscle, allowing for quicker absorption compared to oral administration and are typically used for vaccines and some antibiotics. Intravenous administration delivers medication directly into the bloodstream, ensuring rapid effects, which is crucial for emergency situations but also requires careful monitoring as it can have the shortest length of action and is the most invasive method.

When developing teaching materials for parents regarding oral medication administration to children, tips such as proper dosing, using a medication syringe for accuracy, and mixing medication with a small amount of food or drink to improve palatability could be included. Safety measures for each route should also be addressed, such as careful needle disposal for injections and monitoring for adverse reactions with IV medications. Therefore is the correct option is C.