Five Rights of Medication Administration
The patient states name, and date of birth. The nurse verifies the information against the medication record and the identification wristband.
What is right patient?
Decreases visibility of medication labels. Decreases likelihood of a dropped medication being noticed.
What is Dim lighting?
Verify identity by asking the patient and checking wristband.
What is the right patient?
The nurse verifies medication name, dose, and expiration date against the medication administration record and prescriber orders. As well as confirming allergies with the patient prior to administration.
What is right drug?
Decreases concentration during medication administration.
What are interruptions?
Confirming medication name on package against the order and medication administration record.
What is the right medication?
The nurse confirms the route listed matches the order, the medication form, and the patient's ability to have medication in the prescribed route.
What is the right route?
Handwritten order transcribed by a nurse to the medication record: Lantasptrosts DU igt tid.
What is illegible order?
Confirms saline eye drop medication is prescribed for both eyes.
What is the right route?
The nurse administers medications within 30 minutes of the prescribed time. The nurse maintains the prescribed timing of intravenous medications.
What is the right time?
Failure to monitor for blood glucose or blood sugar when parameters are ordered.
What is failure to follow orders and a medication error?
Administered fast-acting insulin after blood glucose check 10 minutes prior to the meal.
What is the right time?
The nurse verifies the dose of medication matches the medication administration record and the doctor's order. If the medication, for example, Coumadin) requires monitoring the nurse checks for completion and new doctor orders prior to administration.
What is right dose?
Administers Prednisone when the order is for Prednisolone.
What failure to recognize look-alike, sound-alike drugs resulting in a medication error?
Administered prescribed units of fast-acting insulin after blood glucose monitoring verifying dosage with a prescribed sliding scale.
What is right dose?