10 MEDICATION RIGHTS (Potter & Perry, pp. 681) 1. Right Medication Check and verify if it’s the right name and form. Beware of look-alike and sound-alike medication names. Misreading medication names that look similar is a common mistake. Compare with doctors’ order on MAR. 2. Right Dose Check the MAR and the doctor’s order. Be aware of the difference of an adult and a pediatric dose. Perform correct med calculations and have another nurse do an independent check if agency requires for specific meds. 3. Right Patient Compare with MAR and check 2 patient identifiers 4. Right Route Check the order if it’s oral, IV, SQ, IM, etc.. 5. Right Time and Frequency Check the order for when it should be given and when was the last time it was given. 6. Right Documentation After you administer a medication, complete the medication administration record according to agency policy to verify that the medication was administered as ordered. 7. Right Reason Nurses are professionally responsible for obtaining the rationale for prescribed medications. If you are unaware of a new medication, you have the professional responsibility to research the medication 8. Right to Refuse The patient has the right to refuse a medication. Patients need to be informed that they have this right, but at the same time, they also need to be fully informed about the potential consequences of their refusal. 9. Right Patient Education Education should include providing information about the drug being given such as the reason for taking it, its action, and possible side effects that the patient might experience while taking it. 10. Right Evaluation You also need to make sure that any special assessments that are required have been completed, such as taking a pulse or blood pressure or checking important laboratory results that are necessary for a particular medication THREE MEDICATION CHECKS First Check Read the MAR or doctors order and select the proper medication from the patient’s drawer or unit stock. Second Check After retrieving the medication from the drawer Compare the medication label to the MAR again as you prepare the medication (pour liquid, split pills, draw up from a multi-dose container) Third Check Bring medication to patient’s bedside. Compare your prepared medication for a third time against the MAR while you are at the patient’s bedside, or right outside the room.

Participant List

Sherbourne Place
Jean San Luis Educator & QIP lead
Marva Frank RPN
Aliyah Edwards RPM
Rene Lasco PSW
Ann Muthiah PSW
Derek Thompson PSW

Wellesley Central Place
Joan Folkes RPN
Xian Montinola Educator & QIP lead
Manju Joseph RN
Gail Lim PSW
Carolyn Valdez PSW
Marcia Clayton PSW