This came across my desk the other day, and while I had known about this 5 step concept and used it throughout my career, I thought it was a great and concise reminder for us all who work with intravenous and infusion medication administration, regardless of our specialty areas. NB: I have slightly edited this from its original form.

What are the nine (9) rights of intravenous medication administration?

Well known five rights of medication administration are,

1. Right patient
2. Right medication
3. Right dose
4. Right route
5. Right time.

Infusion therapy involves reconstitution of medications, infusing medications and solutions, insertion, maintenance and removal of vascular access devices, preventing catheter-related infection, and documentation.

Additional “rights” during infusion therapy include,

6. Right compatibility: Compatibility and chemical stability of medications / solutions are important to prevent possible drug to drug, and/or drug-solution interaction when multiple medications are administered through the same catheter or tubing. This is particularly in reference to a particular medication/solutions osmolality, osmolarity and pH.

7. Right duration: Appropriate infusion time or duration depends on the type of drug, patient’s age and condition.

8. Right vascular access device (VAD): Continuous infusion of vesicant medications and solutions with osmolarity higher than 900msOm/L requires a central vascular access device (INS SOP 2016). Clinicians require knowledge to select a central or peripheral VAD according to the chemical nature of the infusate, duration of treatment and condition of the patient.

9. Right patient assessment: High alert medications require vigilance and close monitoring.

Nevertheless, clinicians administering infusion therapies require knowledge and skills to insert and mange vascular access devices, ability to prevent, recognize and manage vascular access and infusion therapy-related complications.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/BSI/04-bsi-background-info-2011.html
FiveRightsofMedicationAdministration.aspx
http://www.ins1.org

Firstly, welcome and thanks for stopping by. This blog is here to share practical, evidence-based information for clinicians working in vascular access, infusion therapy and infection prevention. My goal is to make the latest research and best practices easy to access, so they can be applied at the bedside to improve patient care.

It’s also a space for conversation—where we can learn from one another, share real-world experience, and discuss ways to advance vascular access practice together. At the core of everything is one simple priority: keeping our patients safe and at the center of our care.

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