Which of the following is a component of the five rights of medication administration?

Which of the following is a component of the five rights of medication administration?

• A. Right nurse assignment
• B. Right patient
• C. Right allergy check
• D. Right chart entry

Answer: (B)

Ensuring the medication goes to the right person is crucial for patient safety. The Right patient means confirming the person receiving the drug is indeed the intended recipient, typically by checking two identifiers (such as name and date of birth or medical record number) and matching the order on the MAR or electronic system, along with allergy information, before administration. This step anchors the entire process—without confirming identity, even the correct drug, dose, route, and time won’t prevent harm. The other options aren’t part of the standard five rights: the nurse administering the dose isn’t one of the rights; while checking allergies is vital, it’s part of safety checks rather than a listed right; chart entry is essential too, but it’s typically considered a separate documentation step (sometimes called the sixth right). The five basic rights are patient, drug, dose, route, and time.

Ensuring the medication goes to the right person is crucial for patient safety. The Right patient means confirming the person receiving the drug is indeed the intended recipient, typically by checking two identifiers (such as name and date of birth or medical record number) and matching the order on the MAR or electronic system, along with allergy information, before administration. This step anchors the entire process—without confirming identity, even the correct drug, dose, route, and time won’t prevent harm. The other options aren’t part of the standard five rights: the nurse administering the dose isn’t one of the rights; while checking allergies is vital, it’s part of safety checks rather than a listed right; chart entry is essential too, but it’s typically considered a separate documentation step (sometimes called the sixth right). The five basic rights are patient, drug, dose, route, and time.