5 rights of medication safety. final

5 rights of medication safety

1. 5 Rights of Medication

2. There are 5 B asic Rights of M edication S afety Right Patient Right Drug Right Dose Right Route Right Time

3. Right Patient You must be certain of the patients identity before administering medication Check the patients wristband for two identifiers such as, MRN and date of birth. Ask the patient to confirm name and date of birth Check if the patient has any allergies

4. Right Drug You must have a knowledge of the use, action, usual dose and side effects of the medication being administered. You must check that the medication on the prescription chart is clearly written Be aware of medication that is similar sounding or similar labelling You must check the expiry date of the medicine

5. Right Dose Consider if the dosage is appropriate, based on size, age, or vital signs. E.g Digoxin not to be given if pulse below 60. Use of appropriate equipment if measuring liquid form If the dosage needs to be calculated, double check or have someone verify the dosage Consider how long the patient need to take the medication, and how many times a day.

6. Can you answer the following question? Heparin is available as 4000 units / 5mL. What volume is needed to give 20,000 units? Answer: 25mL

7. Right Route If the route is not indicated on the chart, check with the prescriber Routes for administering medications include oral, parenteral, topical, rectal, inhalation, sublingual or transdermal Consider if the medication can be crushed e.g Glipizide – Slow release

8. Right Time The medication must be given at the correct time, frequency, and duration Timing of doses of medication can be critical for maintaining specific therapeutic blood levels (e.g antibiotics)and avoiding interactions with other medications Timing of Parkinson’s medications is critical in controlling symptoms, such as; freezing, hallucination, confusion, low BP, and inability to move or speak. Consider whether medication needs to be taken before or after a meal

9. Documentation Clear accurate d ocumentation is vital when administering medication . Check illegible, incomplete or ambiguous documentation

10. Summary When setting up or administering medications always : Avoid distractions and interruptions Double check whenever there is a concern or question Encourage patients to be actively involved Use c lear documentation Communicate clearly Never administer medication unless you are 100% sure you know what it is Report and learn from errors