Master 6 Rights of Medication Administration with Picmonic for Nursing RN
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6 Rights of Medication Administration
The 6 Right-answers host Administering Medication
Sometimes considered 5 or 6 "Rights" the "R's" of medication administration are a systematic approach designed to reduce administration errors. These 6 rights include the right patient, medication, dose, time, route and documentation. Futhermore, nurses are also urged to do the three checks; checking the MAR, checking while drawing up medication and checking again at bedside. It is important to check for allergies as well before administration. Shortly after medication administration, the patient should be assessed, and they should also be educated on what they are given.
10 KEY FACTS
Some facilities have differing protocols however it is imperative that the nurse verifies the name on the patient's armband prior to administering any medications.
Read the medication label carefully! Be sure to compare the strength, concentration and type of medication to the order. Considerations include only administering a medication that you prepared yourself and being generally familiar with the medication.
Compare the dose of the medication to the MAR. Be cautious as many medications come in different strengths based on route and a mistake could prove fatal. The nurse may also have to modify dosing based on weight, age, or variable tests like blood glucose. Some medications have very complex or specific doses and may require a second nurse to sign off. Examples of these medications include Insulin, Heparin, and Chemotherapeutic agents based on protocol.
Compare the time the medication should be administered to the current time. Never administer additional or missed doses. Be familiar with abbreviations. Check the MAR to assure the last dose of medication was administered at the appropriate time.
Method of delivery of medications can substantially alter the effects of the drug. Broad classifications include enteral, through the digestive system, and parenteral, directly to the tissues and topical which is applied to the skin.
Documentation is key to the nurse’s role. Proper documentation of your medication administration in the MAR is crucial.
The "6 Rights" should be implemented at "three checkpoints". First compare the "rights" alongside the Medication Administration Record (MAR) immediately after obtaining it. Second, check the "rights" during medication preparation outside the room, whether this is by mixing, placing a pill into a cup for easier administration or preparing for an IV or injection. Third, check the "rights" again at the bedside before administering the drug to the patient. Developing a regular practice reduces errors.
It is crucial to check if the patient has any allergies to the medication prior to administering it. Cross reference by checking the Medication Administration Record (MAR) and asking the patient.
You may be required to do certain assessments prior to administering some medications. This may include vital signs, blood glucose, lab values, or a comprehensive assessment.
The nurse's role is important in educating the patient on certain side effects a medication might have and drug interactions. Some drugs could have a synergistic effect or an antagonistic effects with other medications.
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The 6 rights of medication administration are probably one of the most important guidelines you need to remember as a nurse. While they can be tricky to remember, recalling all six rights will help you administer medication properly and avoid critical errors to keep your nursing patients safe. The six “R’s” of medication administration are a systematic approach to providing your patient the life-saving
medications they need while maintaining their safety, privacy, and efficacy of the medicine. These six considerations reduce risk to the patient while protecting the nurse and the hospital. In addition, it’s vital the nursing staff perform three additional checks including checking the MAR, checking while drawing up medication, and checking again at the patient’s bedside. First, verify your patient’s identity. Double-checking the
patient’s first and last name on their chart, their name and medical record number on their identification band, and even asking a patient to identify themselves is imperative for administering medication. Some facilities have different protocols, but to be safe, implementing these three checks will ensure you’ve got the right patient. Let’s not stop there though. Now that you’ve identified your patient, it’s time to
identify if you’ve got the right medication. Moving forward with drug administration without proper verification is extremely dangerous. Even though a pharmacist may process the medication beforehand, you are an additional person present to ensure patient safety.Right #1: Patient
Right #2: Medication
Please read the medication label carefully and diligently. You need to verify the type of medication, strength, and concentration. If the medication doesn’t look right, be vigilant and talk to the pharmacy at your facility. If you’re preparing the medication yourself, make sure you’re familiar with it. And by absolutely no means administer a medication you’re not familiar with.
Right #3: Dose
Next, you’ll need to verify the drug dosage with the patient’s medication administration record (MAR). Medications come in different strengths, and every patient will vary in the kind of dosage they need. An overdose can prove fatal to a patient, which is a medical mistake no one wants to make.
You may have to modify dosing for age, weight, or other variables like blood glucose. Our first step will help you have the patient’s information handy. Although, for the proper, but complex dosages of medications like Insulin, Heparin, and Chemotherapeutic agents, you’ll need a second nurse to sign off.
Right #4: Time
Do you remember the time of the patient’s last dosage? If not, you need to check the MAR. Some medications should be administered at the same time every day, and others only need to be taken with or after a meal. Read the medication’s label to see if that’s the case.
Still, you should never administer missed or additional doses and always be familiar with the drug’s abbreviations–just in case.
Right #5: Route
It’s your responsibility to properly route your patient’s medications. Drugs can be administered differently, but don’t simply rely on your memory for picking the right path. The different methods of drug delivery can alter their effects, so you’ll want to be very careful. Check the patient’s chart to see how the medication should be administered.
Right #6: Documentation
The first five rights of medication are important but don’t forget the sixth—and possibly most important right. Remember to document everything throughout this process.
Documentation is important for every task you perform as a nurse. You need to record the drug administration and the patient’s reactions after. If the patient’s not responding well or at all to a medication, the effects need to be documented for future reference. Your patient could be allergic or even need a different medication altogether. But who knows? That’s what the documentation is there to help you figure out.
Recall Safe Drug Administration
Dive into medication administration with our Picmonic lesson. Picmonic will turn facts into picture mnemonics for studying and mastering everything you need to know in nursing school.
Two helpful nursing mnemonic acronyms for drug administration are:
Patients Do Drugs Round The Day (PDDRTD)
- Patient
- Drug
- Dosage
- Route
- Time
- Documentation
TIMED
- Drug
- Route
- Time
- Individual
- Medication
- Effect (or expiration date)
- Dosage
For more memorable mnemonics to help you keep your patients safe, read 10 Mnemonics Nursing Students Should Know.
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