One of the five rights of medication administration is ensuring the "Right patient" receives the medication. This principle is crucial in nursing practice to prevent medication errors. Identifying the correct patient before administering medication protects against potentially serious consequences, such as giving the wrong medication to a patient, which could lead to adverse drug reactions or ineffective treatment.
In practice, verifying the patient's identity typically involves using two identifiers, such as the patient's name and date of birth, and confirming this information against the medication administration record. This process is essential in promoting patient safety and ensuring that medications are given to those who are prescribed them.
The other options relate to important aspects of patient care but do not fall under the established rights of medication administration. "Right diagnosis" and "Right time to diagnosis" focus on diagnosis rather than medication administration, while "Right insurance coverage" pertains to financial aspects and access to medications rather than the safe administration of those medications.