What are the five rights of medication administration that nurses must ensure are followed?

The five rights of medication administration are fundamental principles that nurses must follow to ensure patient safety and effective medication management. The correct answer highlights the essential rights as follows:

1. Right Patient: This ensures that the medication is given to the intended individual. Identifying the patient using two identifiers—such as name and date of birth—helps to avoid medication errors.

2. Right Medication: This ensures that the nurse administers the exact medication that has been prescribed. This includes double-checking the medication label against the prescription to prevent any mix-ups with similar-looking medications.

3. Right Dose: This involves verifying that the dosage of the medication is appropriate for the patient, ensuring the amount is not too high or too low. Calculating doses carefully is crucial to avoid potential overdosing or underdosing.

4. Right Route: This refers to administering the medication in the correct manner, whether it be orally, intravenously, intramuscularly, etc. Different routes can affect how the medication works in the body and its absorption rate.

5. Right Time: This ensures that the medication is given at the correct time according to the prescribed schedule. Timing can be critical for the effectiveness of some medications and to