How much analgesic gas should be given
Entonox is a drug, but it's a drug that is
a little bit unique in the world of drugs, it's a drug that is self-administered, so
the patient gives it to themselves and they monitor and dose themselves. It can be given
to children as well as adults, as long as the child can actively use the equipment to
give the dosage correctly, then it's perfectly safe to give to children. The reason it's
safe is because when you self-administer this drug, as it starts to work, and the effect
of the drug is to make you sleepy, drowsy and to take the pain away. And the more drowsy
you get, the less you take on board and eventually the hand tends to fall away from the mouth,
you stop administrating it yourself and the drug starts to wear off and your conscious
levels come back. So it is a self-administered drug, safe to
be given to adults and children, as long as they can operate it and as long as they can
use the actual giving set, it's safe to use. The one thing we have to be aware of is the
giving set has a priming button which we will look into later in the course, the priming
button must never be used to administer it. It must always be self-administered.
Entonox: Unique Self-Administered Analgesic
1. Self-Administration
Distinctive Characteristics:
- Entonox is a self-administered drug, allowing patients to control their own dosage.
- Applicable to both adults and children, provided the child can operate the equipment correctly.
2. Safety in Self-Administration
Safe Usage Guidelines:
- Self-administration ensures safety, as the drug induces drowsiness and decreases dosage intake as drowsiness sets in.
- Children can use Entonox safely, as long as they can operate the delivery system independently.
3. Priming Button Caution
Importance of Proper Usage:
- Never use the priming button to administer Entonox; it should always be self-administered.
- Details on the priming button will be covered later in the course.