How should you verify a client's identity before delivering care?

How should you verify a client's identity before delivering care?

• A. Verify by room assignment only.
• B. Ask a family member to confirm identity.
• C. Use two identifiers (e.g., name and birthdate) from the care plan and obtain consent.
• D. Check the last order form.

Answer: (C)

Verifying identity uses two unique patient identifiers to confirm you’re caring for the right person, which is the standard way to prevent wrong-patient errors. The two identifiers should come from the patient’s records or care plan and be confirmed with the patient—common pairs are name and birthdate or name and medical record number. After identity is confirmed, obtain consent for the specific care or procedure to ensure the patient understands and agrees.

Relying on room assignment isn’t reliable because patients can be moved, and a room number doesn’t uniquely identify a person. Asking a family member to confirm identity isn’t sufficient on its own and can raise privacy or accuracy issues. Checking the last order form might be outdated or linked to a different patient. Using two identifiers and obtaining consent provides a safer, standard approach to delivering care.