Why verify correct room and bed number before med administration?

• A. To verify room number for visiting hours.
• B. To schedule nursing shifts.
• C. To check patient diet preferences.
• D. To ensure the right patient receives the right medication and prevent errors.

Answer: (D)

Verifying the correct room and bed number is part of confirming the patient’s identity before giving a medication. This helps ensure the medication is administered to the right person by matching the patient to the chart, MAR, and the identification on the patient’s wristband or name tag. When you verify room and bed, you’re adding a practical check to prevent “wrong-patient” errors, which are a major safety risk in medication administration. In most settings, you use two identifiers (like name and date of birth), and room/bed serves as an extra corroborating detail rather than the sole check. The other options—visiting hours, nursing shift scheduling, or diet preferences—do not relate to safely ensuring the right patient receives the right medication.