Medication safety
Five Rights
Right patient, Right drug, Right dose, Right route, Right time
The five checks named before a medication is given. Extended lists add right documentation, right reason, right response and the patient’s right to refuse.
What each letter stands for
- 1 Right patient — two identifiers, not the room number.
- 2 Right drug.
- 3 Right dose.
- 4 Right route.
- 5 Right time.
How it gets tested
The most common item is about the first right: identifying by room or bed number is always the wrong answer, and two patient identifiers is always the right one.
Related terms
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