Nursing delivery of sublingual nifedipine

Abstract

Nifedipine is often administered sublingually, although the drug is not manufactured in this form. A group of 150 nurses were surveyed to determine how they deliver sublingual nifedipine to functionally independent and dependent patients. Functionally independent patients were most frequently instructed to place the capsule under their tongues or to perforate the capsule before placing it in their mouths. Nifedipine was administered to functionally dependent patients most frequently by cutting the capsule, squeezing its contents into the patient's mouth, and discarding the capsule. These findings raise several questions about the methods nurses commonly use to administer nifedipine.