READING MEDICATION LABELS

Medication labels have specific information on them

1. Brand Name (capitalized) and/or generic name (lower case)
2. Dose
3. Manufacturer
4. Lot number/RX number
5. Expiration date

Some labels have additional information

IV Medications
6. Diluents
7. Volume
Liquids/vials/injectables
8. Dose per volume

Using the pictures of medications on the next page, fill in the blanks
on the following pages. If the information is not visible, leave a
blank.

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 6
2
1
3

8
10

11 9

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1.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date
g. Diluents
h. Volume
2.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date
3.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date
4.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date

5.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
Nrsg153/155 week 5 Page 3 of 8
 c. Dose
d. Dose/volume
e. Manufacturer
f. Lot #/RX #
g. Expiration date
6.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Dose/volume
e. Manufacturer
f. Lot #/RX #
g. Expiration date
7.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose/volume
d. Volume
e. Manufacturer
f. Lot #/RX #
g. Expiration date
8.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date
9.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
e. Manufacturer
f. Lot #/RX #

Nrsg153/155 week 5 Page 4 of 8

 g. Expiration date
10.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date
11.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. Manufacturer
e. Lot #/RX #
f. Expiration date

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READING MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION RECORDS

Medication Administration Records (MARs) have the following information at the top of each page:

1. Patient name
2. Allergies
3. Dates of MAR (MM/DD/YYYY, 0701-MM/DD/YYYY, 0700)

Additional information can be found on the sheet, including

1. Gender
2. DOB
3. Account #
4. Medical record number
5. Room
6. Doctor

The MAR is divided up according to facility policy. For instance, at a facility with 12-hour shifts, the MAR might
have three columns: a column for the med list and a column for each shift. The times that the meds are to be
given are indicated in the column for that shift (see next page).

The med column has information according to facility policy. That information can include:

1. RX #
2. Start and stop dates/times
3. Brand and generic names of the med
4. Dose to be given
5. Frequency
6. Route ORAL, IV, IV piggyback, injection, subcutaneous (SUBCUT), per tube, rectal, opthalmic
7. How the med is dispensed (tab, injectible, liquid)
8. When the medication order was verified and by whom.

It is very important to note that the medication that is dispensed might not be the amount that you are to give.
For instance, the order might be to give 500mg but you are given 250mg tabs. In that case you must give two
tabs to total 500mg. It is equally important to give the medication the route that is ordered. Pay close attention
to this.

Triple checking your medications before administration is imperative!

1. When you pull a med from the Pixis, or other medication storage system, you verify that the med you are
pulling is what the MAR calls for.
2. When you have all your meds pulled, take them to another counter space and check all your meds by the
MAR again.
3. Take all of your meds and the MAR to the patient’s room, and at the bedside check them a third time, telling
the patient what meds you have and what they are for.

Be prepared to explain to the patient what the med is called (generic and Brand names), what classification of
med it is, what it will do for them (in layperson’s terms), what the dosage is, and what side effects can result.

Nrsg153/155 week 5 Page 6 of 8

02/03/2008 0701 – 02/04/008 07:00
Allergies: NKDA
0701-1900 1901-0700
4906530 Start Stop
ciprofloxacin 02/02 0900 2100
(CIPRO) 08:44
Dose: 500 MG ORAL TWICE DAILY
Dispensed: (500 mg tablet)
LAST VERIFIED: RMB 02/02 08:44
4906531 Start Stop
famotidine 02/02 0900 2100
(PEPCID) 08:45
Dose: 20 MG IV EVERY 12 HOURS
Dispensed: (10 mg per mL INJ) 2 mL
LAST VERIFIED: RMB 02/02 08:45
4906532 Start Stop
ondansetron 02/02
(ZOFRAN) 08:46
Dose: 4 MG IV Q12 HOURS PRN NAUSEA
Dispensed: (4 MG PER 2 ml INJ)
8MG MIXED IN 4ML NS MAY BE GIVEN IV
PUSH OVER 2 MINUTES
LAST VERIFIED: RMB 02/02 08:46
Gender: M MRN: 00000012345 Colorado Technical University Clinic
1025 W 6th St
DOB: 01/01/41 DR: HOSPITALIST Pueblo, CO 81003
Acct: 0005678 (719) 595-0200
Room 4N31-1

Using the above example, fill out the information below:

1.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. How dispensed
d. Route
e. RX #
f. Start/Stop
g. Times to be given

Nrsg153/155 week 5 Page 7 of 8

2.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. How dispensed
d. Route
e. RX #
f. Start/Stop
g. Times to be given

3.
a. generic name
b. Brand Name
c. Dose
d. How dispensed
d. Route
e. RX #
f. Start/Stop
g. Times to be given

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