Question

A student nurse is preparing medication for her patients when another nurse is called to
transport a patient to the physical therapy department. This nurse shows the student the
medications she has prepared for two of her patients and asks the student to administer
the prepared medications to her patients. What rules should the student nurse follow in
considering this request?

Answer 1

Nurses are responsible for ensuring safe medication and prevent medication errors. To do that nurse must understanding the 10 Rights of Drug Administration
1.   Right Drug
Check and verify if it’s the right name and form.
Beware of look-alike and sound-alike medication names.
2.   Right Patient.
Ask the name of the client and check his/her ID band before giving the medication.
3.   Right Dose.
Check the medication sheet and the doctor’s order before medicating.
4.   Right Route.
Check the order if it’s oral, IV, SQ, IM, etc.
5.   Right Time and Frequency.
Check the order for when it would be given and when was the last time it was given.
6.   Right Documentation.
Make sure to write the time and any remarks on the chart correctly
7.   Right History and Assessment.
Ask client’s history for drug interactions and allergies
8.   Drug approach and Right to Refuse.
Provide autonomy to refuse the medication after thoroughly explaining the effects.
9.   Right Drug-Drug Interaction and Evaluation.
Review any medications previously given or the diet of the patient that can yield
a bad interaction to the drug to be given. Check also the expiry date
1O. Right Education and Information.
Provide enough information about the therapeutic and side effects of the drug.