Wrong Medication After No ID Check: Negligence

Legal & Ethical Issues · Question from the ATI RN Leadership 2023 Proctored Exam study set

Correct answer: Negligence

Why this is the answer

Negligence is the failure to perform a duty (in this case, the 5 rights of medication administration) that a reasonable nurse would do.

The bigger concept

Skipping the two-identifier check is the textbook breach of duty: the rights of medication administration are the standard every nurse is expected to follow, so omitting one is negligence regardless of intent. Whether it rises to malpractice depends on whether the patient was actually harmed. Always verify name and date of birth against the band and the MAR, scan when barcode systems exist, and never rely on room number or the patient answering to a name.

Related Legal & Ethical Issues practice questions

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