Today I'd like to share something with you regarding medication administration that I first learned of while in college many moons ago, but which still holds today as professional standards with regards to medications...The 5 Rights...right person, right drug, right dose, right time, right route. The five rights of medication administration are used to minimize medication errors and to keep patients safe.
Although the five rights are standard in hospital and residential settings, they can also be used to keep you safe with your prescriptions at home. Please take a look at the following....
right person...that the medication you are taking is your medication
Although the five rights are standard in hospital and residential settings, they can also be used to keep you safe with your prescriptions at home. Please take a look at the following....
right person...that the medication you are taking is your medication
- when you receive your prescription from your doctor/nurse check that your name and information is correct
- when picking up your prescription at the pharmacy - double check when your prescription is given to you that it's yours - pharmacies handle many medications and people have the same names (this once happened to me and I came home with someone else's medication)
- when you are at home and are about to take your prescription make sure that it's yours - often we store all family medications in the same spot and the containers often look alike - make sure you are in fact taking your medication and not someone else's
right drug...that the medication you are taking is the medication you are supposed to be taking...often we will be prescribed multiple medications - before taking a prescription read the label and ensure you are taking the appropriate medication
right dose...that you are taking the correct dose as prescribed by your physician for your condition...keep in mind that any differential in the dose can alter the effectiveness of your medication or could also cause an over dose if you take too much...take only the amount that has been prescribed by your doctor
right time...that you are taking the medication at the time prescribed by your doctor
right route...that you take the medication as ordered...some drugs can cause death if taken in ways than otherwise prescribed
Over the course of my professional career I have administered many different medications to clients I have supported and I have also provided med training for those clients who administered their own medicine. The 5 rights of medication administration are important to know and to remember when you are using prescription medication. Please keep them in mind when you are taking your prescriptions and when you are administering medications to others within your home. They could save someone's life.
right dose...that you are taking the correct dose as prescribed by your physician for your condition...keep in mind that any differential in the dose can alter the effectiveness of your medication or could also cause an over dose if you take too much...take only the amount that has been prescribed by your doctor
right time...that you are taking the medication at the time prescribed by your doctor
right route...that you take the medication as ordered...some drugs can cause death if taken in ways than otherwise prescribed
Over the course of my professional career I have administered many different medications to clients I have supported and I have also provided med training for those clients who administered their own medicine. The 5 rights of medication administration are important to know and to remember when you are using prescription medication. Please keep them in mind when you are taking your prescriptions and when you are administering medications to others within your home. They could save someone's life.
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