A LITTLE LIGHTBULB MOMENT
Pharmacology and medication administration principles
The six rights of medication administration
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Six pockets before the pill leaves the cart
The idea behind the cue
The core medication-administration rights are right patient, drug, dose, route, time, and documentation. These checks help prevent selection, preparation, and administration errors and verify that the ordered medication goes to the intended person.
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Short & simple
Six pockets before the pill leaves the cart
Acronym
PDDRTD — Polka Ducks Devour Rowdy Teapots Dramatically.
Story
A nurse checks the wristband, matches the order, measures the dose, chooses the ordered route, gives it at the scheduled time, and documents right after administration. No mystery snacks from the cart, no shortcuts, no guessing.
Connect the pieces
- P (Polka) → Patient: Verify the intended person with the right identifiers.
- D (Ducks) → Drug: Check that the medication matches the order.
- D (Devour) → Dose: Confirm the ordered amount.
- R (Rowdy) → Route: Give it by the prescribed route.
- T (Teapots) → Time: Give it at the correct time.
- D (Dramatically) → Documentation: Record the administration and required notes.
- Polka · Patient: Verify the intended person with the right identifiers.
- Ducks · Drug: Check that the medication matches the order.
- Devour · Dose: Confirm the ordered amount.
- Rowdy · Route: Give it by the prescribed route.
- Teapots · Time: Give it at the correct time.
- Dramatically · Documentation: Record the administration and required notes.
Know the limits
Institutions may add other rights such as education or response, but the core six remain foundational.
Further reading · OpenStax nursing textbooks ↗Check your understanding
Which set best matches the core medication administration rights?
A. Right room, drug, dose, route, time, family consent
B. Right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation
C. Right diagnosis, drug, pulse, route, time, temperature
D. Right patient, blood pressure, dose, route, time, allergies
Reveal explanation
Right patient, drug, dose, route, time, documentation
The standard core rights are patient, drug, dose, route, time, and documentation. The other choices include unrelated items that do not define the core rights.