How do you verify patient identity before procedures or medication administration?

• A. Use at least two identifiers such as full name and date of birth from the chart, patient wristband, or MRN; verify before any procedure or medication.
• B. Verify identity using the patient’s phone number alone.
• C. Ask the patient to spell their name.
• D. Rely on the physician's memory.

Answer: (A)

Verifying patient identity with two independent identifiers before any procedure or medication is a critical safety step to prevent wrong-patient errors. The idea is to cross-check information that uniquely identifies the person against reliable sources. The recommended approach is to obtain at least two identifiers, such as the patient’s full name and date of birth, and confirm these against the chart, the patient’s wristband, or the medical record number. This should be done prior to starting the procedure or administering any medication, and again if there’s any change in the plan or patient.

Two identifiers help ensure you’re matching the right patient to the right orders. Relying on a single piece of information, like a phone number, is not reliable because contact details can be outdated or shared, and a number alone doesn’t uniquely identify a person. Asking the patient to spell their name might help, but it doesn’t by itself confirm accuracy against the chart or wristband. Relying on the physician’s memory is unsafe because it’s easy to misremember or miscommunicate orders. By using two independent identifiers and verifying them against the chart and wristband or MRN, you create a robust check that protects the patient and supports safe care.