Administering Eye Ointment

Medical Equipments:

• Medication Administration Record (MAR)
• Tissue or cotton ball
• Eye Medication (ointment)
• Nonsterile gloves

Nursing Procedures:

1. Assess the patient and the cart for any allergies


2. Check the written orders on MAR


3. Obtains the necessary equipments


4. Follow the five rights of drug administration


5. Determine the identification armband


6. Explain the procedure to the patient and ask if he or she wants to instill his or her own eye drops


7. Wash hand and don non-sterile gloves


8. Gently wash the eye if there is crust or drainage along the margins of inner canthus. (always wipe from the innter canthus to the outer and use warm soaks to soften material if necessary)


9. Position patient in a supine position with the head slightly hyperextented
10. For Lower Lid:
1. With non-dominant hand, separate eyelids with thumb and finger, and grasp lower lid near margin immediately below the lashes, exert pressure downward over the bony prominence of the cheek
2. Instruct the patient to look up
3. Apply eye ointment along inside edge of the entire lower eyelid, from inner to outer canthus
11. For Upper Lid:
1. Instruct patient to look down
2. With non-dominant hand, gently grasp patient’s lashes near center of upper lid with thum and index finger, and draw lid up and away from eyeball
3. Apply ointment along upper lid starting at inner chantus