How to give oral medications
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
Oral medicines are the most common. Safe steps prevent choking and errors.
Step by step
Rights
Patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation. [1]
Swallowing
Check before giving. [1]
Upright
Sitting up. [1]
Do not crush
Extended-release or coated tablets; check the list. [1]
Water
Full glass unless restricted. [1]
Stay and record
Until taken; then document. [1]
Common errors
- Crushing extended-release.
- Leaving pills at the bedside.
- Giving lying flat.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
- Fall risk at home, older adult
- Parkinson disease, home safety
- Hypoglycemia at school
- Anaphylaxis in a child
- Tuberculosis, contact with symptoms
- ADHD with weight loss
515 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library
Sources
- Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e (CC BY 4.0)
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e and Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.