A new nurse places medications for 9am and 2pm in cups and labels them. He instructs the patient to take them at the labeled times and leaves them at the bedside. This violates:
A. the right documentation rule
B. the right technique rule
C. the right patient rule
D. the right time rule
Answer (2)
The new nurse violates the 'right time rule' by leaving the labeled medications at the bedside instead of administering them at the correct times. This can potentially lead to missed or inappropriate doses, affecting patient safety and treatment effectiveness. Therefore, the chosen option is D.
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In the context of medication administration, there are several key 'rights' to ensure safe practice. These are often referred to as the "Five Rights of Medication Administration" and they include the right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time.
The scenario described violates the right time rule . Here’s why:
Right Time: Medications are typically scheduled to be administered at specific times to maintain consistent levels in the bloodstream, maximize efficacy, and minimize side effects or interactions. By placing medication at the bedside and instructing a patient to take it independently at prescribed times, the nurse is not ensuring they are being taken exactly at the correct times.
Leaving medications at a patient's bedside also poses risks such as the possibility of the patient misinterpreting the instructions, taking the wrong dose at the wrong time, or another person taking the medication by mistake.
In most healthcare settings, it is against standard practice to leave medications unattended and patients are usually not allowed to self-administer unless specifically authorized. Therefore, nurses are responsible for administering medications or directly supervising the administration to ensure safety and compliance with the prescribed regimen.
