NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Clinical Patient CareMedium
A medical assistant is preparing to administer an oral medication to a patient. After verifying the patient's identity, which of the following is the next step according to the 'Rights of Medication Administration'?
- AAsk the patient about any known allergies.
- BCheck the medication's expiration date.
- CExplain the medication to the patient.
- DDocument the medication administration.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Ask the patient about any known allergies.
After verifying the patient, the next crucial step is to confirm allergies to prevent an adverse reaction. This aligns with the 'Right Patient' and 'Right Medication' checks.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Checking the expiration date is part of ensuring the 'Right Medication' and 'Right Dose' but typically occurs before approaching the patient or during medication preparation, not immediately after patient ID.
- C. Explaining the medication is part of patient education ('Right Education') and usually follows allergy confirmation, ensuring the patient understands what they are receiving and why it is safe for them.
- D. Documenting is done after administration, not before or as the next step after patient ID.
Rights of Medication Administration
The 'Rights of Medication Administration' are a set of safety checks to ensure the correct patient receives the correct medication, dose, route, time, and documentation, along with patient education and refusal rights.
- Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time.
- Also includes Right Documentation, Reason, Response, Refusal, Education.
- Allergy check is integral to patient safety.
- Perform checks multiple times.
Memory trick: Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Always Confirm!