Which is NOT a component of the five rights of medication administration?

Which is NOT a component of the five rights of medication administration?

• A. Right chart
• B. Right patient
• C. Right drug
• D. Right route

Answer: (A)

Understanding the five rights of medication administration hinges on confirming before giving a drug: the patient, the medication, the dose, the route, and the time. These checks are the safety steps that prevent common errors like wrong patient, wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route, or wrong timing. A chart or charting belongs to documentation—the record of what was given and when. While documenting is crucial for safety and continuity of care, it is not one of the five verification steps you perform right before administration. Some curricula refer to a sixth right, right documentation, but the classic five rights do not include charting. Therefore, “Right chart” is not part of the five rights, making it the correct choice for what is NOT included.

Understanding the five rights of medication administration hinges on confirming before giving a drug: the patient, the medication, the dose, the route, and the time. These checks are the safety steps that prevent common errors like wrong patient, wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route, or wrong timing. A chart or charting belongs to documentation—the record of what was given and when. While documenting is crucial for safety and continuity of care, it is not one of the five verification steps you perform right before administration. Some curricula refer to a sixth right, right documentation, but the classic five rights do not include charting. Therefore, “Right chart” is not part of the five rights, making it the correct choice for what is NOT included.