What it means
Describes the mouth (oral care, oral temperature) and the most common route for drugs: swallowed tablets, capsules and liquids (abbreviated PO, from the Latin "per os"). Oral drugs are absorbed through the gut and act more slowly than IV ones. Some oral forms are placed under the tongue (sublingual) or against the cheek (buccal) instead.
For the nurse
Before giving oral drugs, make sure the client is alert, can swallow and is not NPO. Sit the client upright. Check whether a tablet may be crushed before crushing it.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PO (by mouth) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | oral, por vía oral |
Related terms
parenteral
Given by a route other than the digestive tract, usually by injection or into a vein.
orally
By mouth.
swallowing
Moving food, liquid or saliva from the mouth through the throat and esophagus to the stomach.
topical
Applied to a surface of the body, such as the skin, eyes or mucous membranes.