Proper medication administration comes with great responsibility, as a simple mistake could lead to devastating outcomes. Due to this, it is crucial to take the necessary precautions to ensure that medications are appropriately handled. There are standard details to verify when administering medications called the rights of medication administration. Still, with the severity of the task, adding a few additional checks is a good practice. An eMAR program can simplify this process and act as an additional safeguard to reduce human error.
The five rights of medication administration are right resident, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time. Each right is vital to ensure proper medication administration.
Identifying the appropriate resident is critical in administering medications properly. As such, it is the first right of medication administration. Before handling any medications, verify that you are working with the right resident the medications are prescribed. Verbally asking for their name and birthday is a great way to do so. If the person is non-verbal, an eMAR can be beneficial as you can also confirm with a photo and apartment details before medication administration.
The second right of medication administration is right medication. When viewing med packaging, confirm that the name, prescription number, and description match the information displayed within your eMAR software before performing medication administration. Some applications may also display medication images, a great visual indicator that you are handling the correct medication.
After confirming you have the proper medication, the following right of medication administration is right dose. The third right of medication administration, right dose, stresses how crucial it is to administer the accurate dosage. Thoroughly reading the medication directions will give a clear explanation of the right dose to administer. If the amount shown is variable, an eMAR can ensure that the correct amount is provided at the appropriate time with required prompts or notifications.
Following the right dose, the right route is the next right of medication administration. The medication directions explain how the medication should be given. Good eMAR applications state the route again on the MAR or med pass screen for further safety measures. They also take it a step further and prompt questions about the route and medication administration location related to a patch or injection, for example.
The final right of medication administration is right time. It's imperative to confirm the medication administered is being given at the appropriate time, especially when the med is time sensitive. The prescriber will typically include the medication administration time in the order; otherwise, the pharmacy should include a suggested time based on community med pass times. eMAR programs commonly group medications by the time of administration, making it easier to view all orders scheduled during a specific med pass time.
The three checks of medication administration are right documentation, right reason, and right response. Each check is essential to ensure proper use of the five rights of medication administration.
After confirming the five rights of medication administration and properly administering medication, you can begin your documentation. On the MAR of the med pass screen, you should have options to record your name, medication administration time, and any other details that may apply, such as vitals or additional notes. An eMAR can automatically incorporate these details into your documentation, making charting easier.
The following step in the three checks of medication administration is right reason. Confirming why someone is taking a medication, especially if it's long-term, is imperative. The prescribed drug should be an appropriate treatment for their condition, and a good eMAR will allow for a reason or diagnosis to be listed on each medication order at the time of medication administration, making it easy to verify and reference over time.
After medication administration, you will want to monitor the resident's response to the medication and ensure it's leading to its desired effect. A comprehensive eMAR can automate processes by scheduling follow-ups based on when the initial dose of the medication was administered and prompting for additional vitals or documentation.
ECP's robust eMAR program makes it easy to verify that medication administration is appropriately handled. The user-friendly design shows all standard medication administration rights and additional checks directly on the med pass for easy identification. With the pharmacy integration, prescription details are sent directly from the pharmacy to increase accuracy and reduce medication errors. ECP eMAR offers additional automation with vital prompts, additional care questions, and scheduled follow-ups to ensure nothing gets missed. Charting has never been easier!
ECP's eMAR and EHR are used by over 6,500 assisted living communities, group homes, intellectually and developmentally disabled care settings, and other long-term care providers across the USA and around the world.
Request a demo to learn more about ECP’s eMAR and to receive a live demonstration of the med pass.