The 5 rights of medication administration: a quick guide for carers
Right person, right medicine, right dose, right time, right route. The five checks before giving any medication, and what to do if something doesn't match.
InLine Care Team · 19/10/2026
Before giving any medication, check:
- Right person
- Right medicine (against the MAR chart)
- Right dose
- Right time (and when it was last given)
- Right route (by mouth, topical, inhaled and so on, as prescribed)
Then record it on the MAR chart straight away. If anything doesn't match, stop and ask a senior. Never guess.
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