What should the nurse do first when preparing to administer medications to a patient?

Q: What should the nurse on duty do first when preparing to administer medications to a client?

The nurse must confirm the patients identification matches the medication administration record (MAR) and medication label prior to administration to ensure that the medication is being given to the correct patient.

Q: What nursing actions should the nurse take to administer medications safely?

Nurses Six Rights for Safe Medication Administration.

Medications should be drawn up in a designated clean medication preparation area that is not adjacent to potential sources of contamination, including sinks or other water sources. Water can splash or spread as droplets more than a meter from a sink. In addition, any item that could have come in contact with blood or body fluids, such as soiled equipment used in a procedure, should not be in the medication preparation area. Examples of contaminated items that should not be placed in or near the medication preparation area include: used equipment such as syringes, needles, IV tubing, blood collection tubes, or needle holders (e.g., Vacutainer® holder).

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What should a nurse do before administering medication?
What should the nurse on duty do first when preparing to administer medications to a client?
What nursing actions should the nurse take to administer medications safely?
What are the five 5 steps you should follow in administering medications?

The medication preparation area should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis and any time there is evidence of soiling. In addition, there should be ready access to necessary supplies (such as alcohol-based hand rub, needles and syringes in their sterile packaging, and alcohol wipes) in the medication preparation area to ensure that staff can adhere to aseptic technique.

Medication administration

Medication administration is a process that carries great responsibility in requiring that you know which medication is supposed to be given, as well as to whom, and when. Remembering the various information that you need to keep track of can be overwhelming, but it is vital that you are aware of them. We highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the seven rights of medication administration in order to protect both your patients and yourself.

Right Individual

Making sure that you have the right individual is obviously a very important step in medication administration. The standard is to check with at least two other sources that you have the correct person before administering medication. The most experienced of nurses can make a mistake if tired, overworked, or managing several patients at once. Despite your level of experience, you should always verify that you are giving the right person the right medication.

Right Medication

It goes without saying that ensuring that you have the right medication is paramount for a variety of reasons. Different patients can have different medical allergies, adverse reactions, and unexpected symptoms that could lead to catastrophic results. Read the label of the medication, triple-check the patient’s charts, and make sure you are administering the correct medication for that patient.

Right Dose

The right dose is incredibly important as well, as the wrong dose could lead to overdosing a patient and possibly harming them. The patient’s correct dose should be noted in their chart, and you should also know the form in which they should be receiving medication. Are they taking pills, receiving medications through IV, or swallowing liquids? These methods all require various doses.

Right Time

Many medications have a specific time that they need to be administered, either due to the patient’s other medications or around their meals. Not all medications require a specific time, but it is your responsibility to know which ones do and don’t. Every time that medication is given to a patient, it should be recorded so that anyone treating them is aware of when medication was last administered.

Right Route

“Route” in this case refers to where and how the medication is given to a patient. While most medications are taken orally, this is not always the case. The notes surrounding the way that medications should be administered are important to keep communication clear as nurse shifts change or others administer medication. Medication can be given in several ways including rectally, vaginally, through the skin, in the eyes, in the ears, into the lungs, etc. This leaves a lot of room for error if not correctly communicated.

Right Documentation

It is the sole responsibility of the person administering the medication to properly document that administration. Without proper documentation, communication can get lost between medical professionals. Always double-check your documentation and make sure that all details are present and correct.

Right Response

Last, but certainly not least, is the response that the patient has to the medication administered. Anytime that a patient is given medication, their response should be recorded to make sure that it is known to all treating the patient. Additionally, the level to which the medication helps the patient should be recorded to keep track of what medication is working and what isn’t.

What should a nurse do before administering medication?

Prior to the administration of medications, the nurse must check and validate the medication order, and also apply their critical thinking skills to the ordered medication and the status and condition of the client in respect to the contraindications, pertinent lab results, pertinent data like vital signs, client ...

What should the nurse on duty do first when preparing to administer medications to a client?

The nurse must confirm the patient's identification matches the medication administration record (MAR) and medication label prior to administration to ensure that the medication is being given to the correct patient.

What nursing actions should the nurse take to administer medications safely?

Nurses' Six Rights for Safe Medication Administration.

THE RIGHT TO A COMPLETE AND CLEARLY WRITTEN ORDER. ... .

THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE CORRECT DRUG ROUTE AND DOSE DISPENSED. ... .

THE RIGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION. ... .

THE RIGHT TO HAVE POLICIES ON MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION..

What are the five 5 steps you should follow in administering medications?

One of the recommendations to reduce medication errors and harm is to use the “five rights”: the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time.