How should a nurse ensure the correct administration of IV medications?

To ensure the correct administration of IV medications, verifying calculations and infusion settings is essential. This practice safeguards against medication errors that could arise from incorrect dosages, rates of infusion, or inappropriate dilutions. By carefully checking the expected flow rates, infusion times, and the calculations involved in the medication preparation, nurses can significantly reduce the risk of administering an incorrect dosage that could potentially harm the patient.

Moreover, this step is critical because even a small error in calculations or settings can lead to serious consequences, especially with high-risk medications administered via IV. For example, medications like insulin or opioids require precise dosing and continuous monitoring to ensure patient safety and therapeutic effectiveness. Therefore, ensuring the correct mathematical calculations and infusion settings is not only a matter of adherence to protocols but also a fundamental aspect of patient care in the context of IV medication administration.