Summary: The Six Rights Of Medication

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One aspect of medication safety is proper medication administration. The Six Rights of Drug Administration are used to prevent medication errors. The Six Rights of Drug administration are right drug, right dose, right time, right patient, right route, and right documentation. Nurses should always verify the medication that are administering with the order that is given. Many drugs have similar names. The order may be written with the drug’s brand name, but only generic names are available in Pyxis. It is important to be familiar with brand names and generic names or have current drug guide available for reference. Dosage of medication is also very important. The nurse should verify dosage with therapeutic range of the drug which can be found in drug guides. Two nurses should check dosage calculations to ensure patient …show more content…
The medication administration record (MAR) should include patients full name, full name of medication ordered, time medication is to be given, dosage of medication, route of medication administration, and frequency of medication administration. The nurse should not record the medication as given until it has been given. The date, time, name of medication, dose, route, site of administration, and drug reaction should be documented. If the patient had an adverse reaction to medication, description of reaction should be documented, and prescriber notified. Teaching provided with medication and patient understanding should also be documented. Sometimes drugs may be withheld, the time and reasoning must be documented. If the patient refuses a medication the physician must be notified, and the incident must be documented. Certain drugs, such as digoxin, required vital signs to be in range before administration. The nurse should document patient preassessment. Documentation can save a patient from being over medicated or being medication with a drug that can cause