What must MA-Cs always verify before administering medications?

MA-Cs must always verify the correct medication, dosage, route, and time before administering medications because this step is critical in ensuring patient safety and effective treatment. Administering the wrong medication or dosage can lead to serious complications, including adverse drug reactions, ineffective treatment, or even lethal outcomes. The correct administration protocol also includes ensuring that the medication is given by the right route (oral, intravenous, etc.) at the appropriate time to maintain therapeutic drug levels in the patient's system. This comprehensive verification process helps to mitigate any risk of medication errors, thereby upholding professional standards of care and promoting positive health outcomes for patients.

The other choices, while important in their own contexts, do not encompass the full scope of verification needed before medication administration. The availability of medication is essential, but it is not as comprehensive as the verification of the medication details. Knowing the patient’s allergies and preferences is crucial to prevent adverse reactions, but these do not constitute the full verification needed specifically for safe medication administration. Patient insurance details are important for billing and access to medication but are not relevant to the immediate process of administering medications.