What are the five rights of medication administration that EMTs should follow?

• A. Right patient, right dose, right time, right route.
• B. Right drug, right dose, right location, right time.
• C. Right patient, right drug, right route, right time.
• D. Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time.

Answer: (D)

The five rights of medication administration form the foundation of safe EMS practice: right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time. Verifying the right patient means confirming the person you’re treating is the one intended to receive the drug, using two identifiers and checking for allergies or contraindications. Ensuring the right drug involves matching the medication to the order or standing protocol and double-checking labels to avoid look-alike or sound-alike mistakes. The right dose requires giving the exact amount prescribed, with careful calculations when weight, age, or specific dosing guidelines apply. The right route means administering by the intended method—whether IV, IM, inhaled, intranasal, or another route—and ensuring the patient can receive it that way. The right time covers administering at the correct moment per protocol or order, including checking for expiry and adherence to frequency or timing requirements.

These checks minimize errors in the field, helping ensure the medication has the intended effect and reduces the risk of harm to the patient. In practice, many programs also emphasize documentation and the patient’s right to refuse, but the core five rights remain the essential framework.