Rights of Medication Administration
A nurse verifies a patient's name and date of birth before giving medication.
Question: Which medication right is being practiced?
Answer: Right Patient
This technology helps reduce medication administration errors by matching the patient and medication.
Answer: Barcode medication administration (BCMA)
Nitroglycerin tablets are commonly administered by this route.
Answer: Sublingual
This medication is commonly double-checked because dosing errors can cause severe hypoglycemia.
Answer: Insulin
Ordered: 500 mg Available: 250 mg tablets
How many tablets should be administered?
Answer: 2 tablets
A nurse compares the medication label to the MAR three times before administration.
Question: Which medication right is being practiced?
Answer: Right Medication
A nurse receives a verbal order for insulin. What should be done before administration?
Answer: Read back the order for verification.
Insulin is most commonly administered by this route.
Answer: Subcutaneous
This anticoagulant often requires an independent double-check before administration.
Answer: Heparin
Ordered: 10 mg Available: 5 mg tablets
How many tablets should be administered?
Answer: 2 tablets
A patient refuses a scheduled medication.
Question: Which medication right allows the patient to make this decision?
Answer: Right to Refuse
The abbreviation "U" is written instead of "units."
Question: Why is this dangerous?
Answer: Can be mistaken for a zero and lead to an overdose.
This route creates a small wheal or bleb.
Answer: Intradermal
A patient receives too much opioid medication.
Question: What is the priority assessment?
Answer: Respiratory status
Ordered: 750 mg Available: 250 mg capsules
How many capsules should be administered?
Answer: 3 capsules
After administering furosemide, the nurse evaluates urine output and edema improvement.
Question: Which medication right is being practiced?
Answer: Right Response
The nurse is interrupted while preparing medications.
Question: What is the safest action?
Answer: Restart the medication verification process.
What is the preferred site for many adult IM injections?
Answer: Ventrogluteal site
A nurse notices another nurse preparing a dose of insulin that seems unusually high.
Question: What should the nurse do?
Answer: Question and verify the dose before administration.
Ordered: 1 gram Available: 500 mg tablets
How many tablets should be administered?
Answer: 2 tablets
A nurse gives the correct medication but fails to record it in the chart.
Question: Which medication right is being practiced?
Answer: Right Documentation was violated.
A medication error has occurred but caused no harm.
Question: What should the nurse do?
Answer: Report the error according to policy and document appropriately.
A sustained-release capsule is prescribed. The patient cannot swallow.
Question: Can the capsule be crushed?
Answer: No. Sustained-release medications should not be crushed.
Name two medications often considered high-alert in most healthcare facilities.
Answer: Insulin, Heparin, Chemotherapy agents, Opioids (any two)
Ordered: 0.25 mg Available: 0.5 mg (scored) tablets
How many tablets should be administered?
Answer: ½ tablet