Should medications be left unattended?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only for brief moment
• D. Only with patient consent

Answer: (B)

Medications should never be left unattended. Leaving them out in view or accessible can lead to tampering, loss, or someone else taking the wrong drug or dose, and a delay or mix-up in administration. Even a brief moment away from the medication creates risk, especially in busy settings or with children around.

To keep meds safe, they should be stored securely and given to the intended patient right away, following the five rights (right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time), with proper labeling and documentation. Consent matters for whether a patient will receive a treatment, but it doesn’t make it safe to leave medications unattended.