Rectal Medication Administration

Rectal administration is a medication route, not a diagnosis. A preparation may be intended to act locally in the rectum, or it may be absorbed into the circulation and produce a systemic effect. Opioid analgesic and anti-emetic suppositories are examples of medications that can cause effects beyond the insertion site. That distinction determines what the nurse watches for. A locally acting product raises concern for irritation, pain, and bleeding. A systemically absorbed medication may cause sedation or other drug effects, so the patient’s organ function and response matter even though the medication was not given orally or intravenously. For an RPN, administration begins with authority. The medication must have a valid written order from an authorized prescriber—such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or authorized registered nurse where permitted by the applicable standard and organizational policy. The RPN may not independently initiate the medication or modify its dose. A patient’s request for “one more” suppository, or a perceived lack of response, does not create authority to repeat or change the order.