What should be ensured before administering medication to a patient?

Ensuring verification of the five rights of medication administration is essential before administering medication to a patient because this process safeguards against medication errors and promotes patient safety. The five rights encompass the right patient, right medication, right dosage, right route, and right time. Each of these rights must be checked to confirm that the medication being administered is appropriate for the patient and that it will be delivered correctly.

This systematic approach minimizes the risk of adverse effects and ensures that the patient receives the correct treatment. Simply relying on verbal consent, social history, or label information does not provide the comprehensive verification needed to protect patient safety. Each component of the five rights plays a critical role in ensuring that the right medication is administered correctly, in the right amount, at the right time, and to the right patient, thereby supporting the overall quality of care.