Word parts
What it means
The route for drugs, fluids or food that are swallowed. Drug orders write it as PO, from the Latin "per os." It is the most common and usually the safest route, but it works more slowly than an injection and needs a client who is awake and can swallow.
For the nurse
Before giving anything orally, check that the client is alert, can swallow safely and is not under NPO orders. Sit the client upright. Do not crush extended-release or enteric-coated tablets.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PO. The Latin "per os" is on the ISMP error-prone list: write PO or "by mouth". |
|---|---|
| Spanish | por vía oral, por boca |
| Also written | by mouth, PO, p.o. |
Related terms
dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing.
enteral
By way of the digestive tract, such as by mouth or through a feeding tube into the stomach or intestine.
sublingual
Under the tongue.
NPO
Nothing by mouth: an order that a client must not eat or drink anything.