The nurse is preparing to administer an oral medication and wants to ensure a rapid drug action. Which form of the medication will the nurse administer?

A. Distribution refers to the movement of the drug from the bloodstream into tissues and organs, but it does not explain why only a portion of the medication reaches the tissues.

B. The first-pass effect occurs when an orally administered drug is metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation. Aspirin, when taken orally, undergoes significant metabolism in the liver, reducing the amount of active drug available to exert its therapeutic effect. This explains why only a portion of the drug reaches the tissues.

C. Reduced absorption can limit drug availability, but aspirin is generally well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The primary reason for reduced drug availability in this case is metabolism by the liver, not poor absorption.

D. Gastrointestinal circulation involves the enterohepatic recycling of some drugs, but it does not explain why only a portion of aspirin reaches systemic circulation. The first-pass effect is the primary factor.

a) Encouraging self-application is beneficial in some cases, but it is not always appropriate. The nurse must ensure the medication is applied correctly and safely, especially if the patient has mobility or cognitive impairments.

b) Wearing treatment gloves is important when handling certain medications, but it is not required for all topical applications. Some medications, such as nitroglycerin ointment, require gloves to prevent nurse exposure, but others do not.

c) Changing gloves between skin preparation and medication application is not a universal requirement. In most cases, the same pair of gloves can be used unless contamination occurs.

d) Performing effective hand hygiene before and after applying the medication is the most essential action to prevent infection and cross-contamination.