A nurse administers a medication and realizes it was given one hour late. Which nursing right was violated?

• A. Right dose.
• B. Right time.
• C. Right route.
• D. Right patient.

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is the Right time—the importance of administering a medication at its scheduled time. Giving a drug one hour late means the dose was not given at the planned moment, which can lead to subtherapeutic levels or gaps in coverage. For many medications, maintaining a consistent dosing interval is crucial to achieve the desired effect and prevent fluctuations in drug concentration. While the dose, route, and patient remained unchanged in this scenario, the timing was off, so the right time was violated. Understanding this helps you appreciate why timing matters for efficacy and safety, and why facilities often have policies about acceptable timing windows.