9 Rights of Medication Administration
These must be used every single time a nurse gives a medication.
The 9 Rights of medication administration
This is the number of unique patient identifiers that must be used before giving a medication.
Two unique patient identifiers
This nursing process step uses observation, questioning, and listening to gather patient information.
Assessment
This is how many times the nurse should check the drug label before giving the medication.
Three times
The nurse should never document a medication before doing this.
This “Right” means confirming the medication order matches the medication label.
Right drug
In the hospital, the nurse should never give medication to a patient who is not wearing this.
An identification band
Current health problems, illness history, surgery history, and medication history should be reviewed during this step.
Nursing assessment
A medication made for one route should never be given by this.
Another route
The nurse should never chart this if the medication was not actually administered.
That the medication was given
This “Right” means confirming that the medication is being given to the correct patient.
Right patient
Name and date of birth are examples of these.
Two unique patient identifiers
Prescription medications, OTC medications, and these nonprescription products should be included in the medication history.
Herbal drugs or herbal supplements
Giving an oral medication by injection would violate this medication administration Right.
The right route
If a patient refuses a medication, the nurse should clarify the reason and do this.
Document the refusal
This “Right” means giving the medication by the ordered method, such as oral, IV, subcutaneous, or IM.
Right route
This should never be used as the only way to identify a patient before giving medication.
Room number
This is what the nurse must know before giving any medication to a patient.
Why the patient is receiving the drug
This should be done if the nurse is unsure whether the ordered medication is appropriate for the patient.
Clarify the order before giving the medication
If the nurse suspects an adverse effect, the nurse should report it immediately to this person or provider.
The RN or healthcare provider
This “Right” reminds the nurse to understand the reason the patient is receiving the medication.
This action helps prevent giving a medication to the wrong patient.
Checking two unique identifiers against the medication record
Any question about whether a drug is safe or appropriate for the patient must be answered at this time.
Before the medication is given
This type of medication order requires extra caution to make sure another nurse has not already given it.
A one-time-only medication order
The nurse should never leave a medication here for the patient to take later.
At the bedside