The 5 R's Checklist

When I was nursing, and administering medications to patients we used a check list to ensure we did the right thing each time. This procedure was necessary to make sure the right patient got the right medication.

The 5 R's are:

1. The right patient

2. The right medication

3. The right dose

4. The right time

5. The right route.

Let's look at each of these in turn.

The right patient, this is obvious, we need to correctly identify the patient for whom the medication is intended. The patient's medical officer has written up a medication sheet detailing what medications the patient requires. In a hospital situation the patient is given an identity wrist band upon admission to hospital. So even if the patient is asleep, or delirious, or unconscious he/she can be identified.

The right medication, care is needed here to identify that the medications written for the patient are correctly administered. An error here could cause serious side effects or could even be fatal.

The right dose, we have identified the patient and have the correct medications. Now we need the correct amount of medication the medical officer has ordered. Any mistakes here could have major consequences.

The right time, the medical officer orders the medications to be given to the patient at a certain time or times. The usual times are daily, twice daily, 3 times daily or 4 times daily. Administering the medications at the correct time is very important for the patient's well-being.

The right route, the correct route is extremely important. It is often dependent on the type of medication the patient requires. The medications can be in tablet form, or liquid, or ointment, or suppository, or in a patch form. So the correct route is also extremely important. Is the medication to be given orally (by mouth), or by injection (needle), or intravenously? Perhaps it is an ointment or a cream, or ear drops or eye drops, or perhaps a suppository.

As we can see the check list needs to be followed in full to ensure we follow the medical officer's instructions for the patient. Inherent in this is our duty of care to the patient. The patient's well-being must be the focus and the outcome.

Most of my nursing career I worked in small regional hospitals, within General Wards. The patients would be admitted with a variety of medical conditions, requiring different medications and treatments. Our duty of care had to be the same to each individual patient; regardless of race, skin colour, ethnicity, whether they were rich or poor, or whether they were criminals or law abiding citizens.

Whilst reflecting on these matters I could see a similar situation with the True and Living God and us. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden they became sinners against God. Their sinful nature has been passed down throughout the race of mankind via Adam.

God could have abandoned mankind but He had an overriding duty of care towards His creatures. His focus and outcome for them is their eternal well-being. "All have sinned..." (Romans 3:23) and all need salvation. Mankind's sorry history is a continual turning away from God, however, in His duty of care towards you and me He sent His Son to rectify matters. Galatians 4:4, 5, (4)"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions of sons."

The right patient is you and me.

The right medication for our sin sick souls is salvation and redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The right dose, God knows the correct dose needed for each individual.

The right time is now!

The right route, God knows the best way to bring salvation to each individual.

In a hospital situation there are always patients who are non-compliant with their medications' regime and their treatment. Some discharge themselves, some are belligerent and cause trouble; others go absent without leave.

Don't be like them, God has your eternal best interests in mind; however, you need salvation to enjoy them.

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted]

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