What should you do if a med label is unreadable upon inspection?

• A. Administer the medication as soon as you can to avoid delays.
• B. Ignore the unreadable label and proceed.
• C. Notify the nurse and obtain a replacement container or label from pharmacy.
• D. Do not administer; notify nurse; obtain replacement container or label from pharmacy.

Answer: (D)

Unreadable medication labels prevent you from confirming exactly what you’re about to give, including the drug name, dose, route, and any special instructions. That uncertainty creates a real risk of giving the wrong medication or an incorrect dose. The safest, correct action is to stop, notify the nurse, and obtain a replacement container or label from pharmacy. This keeps the process transparent and ensures the container has a legible label that matches the order and the patient’s needs. Only after a legible label and proper verification are you to administer the drug, following the usual rights of medication administration.