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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
A second time. These six rights completed three times have greatly reduced medication errors.As discussed earlier, other rights to consider during this process are as follows: Is the patient receiving this medication for the right reason? Have the right assessments been performed prior to giving the medication? Has the patient also received the right education regarding the medications? Is the patient exhibiting the right response to the medication? Is the patient refusing to take the medication? Patients have the right to refuse medication. The patient’s refusal and any education or explanation provided related to the attempt to administer the medication should be documented by the nurse and the prescribing provider should be notified. Listen to the patient if they verbalize any concerns about medications. Explore their concerns, verify the order, and/or discuss their concerns with the prescribing provider before administering the medication to avoid a potential medication error. If a pill falls on the floor, it is contaminated and should not be administered. Dispose the medication according to agency policy. Be aware of absorption considerations of the medications you are administering. For example, certain medications such as levothyroxine should be administered on an empty stomach because food and other medications will affect its absorption. Nurses are often the first to notice when a patient has difficulty swallowing. If you notice a patient coughs immediately after swallowing water or has a “gurgling” sound to their voice, do not administer any medications, food, or fluid until you have reported your concerns to the heath care provider. A swallow evaluation may be needed and the route of medication may need to be changed from oral to another route to avoid aspiration. If your patient has a nothing by mouth (NPO) order, verify if this includes all medications. This information may be included on the MAR or the orders, and if not, verify this information with the provider. Some medications, such as diabetes medication, may be given with a sip of water in some situations where the patient has NPO status. If the route of administration is not accurately listed on the MAR, contact the prescribing provider before administering the medication. For example, a patient may have a PEG tube but the medication is erroneously listed as “PO” on the order.Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\): Identifying the Patient Prior to Medication AdministrationNoteFor more information regarding classes of medications, administration considerations, and adverse effects to monitor, visit Open RN Nursing Pharmacology.For information about specific medications, visit DailyMed, a current, evidence-based medication reference.Special Considerations for Administering Controlled SubstancesControlled substances, also called Scheduled Medications, are kept in a locked system and accounted for using a checks and balance system. Removal of a controlled substance from a medication dispensing system must
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