Which is an appropriate identifier to verify a resident's identity before care?

• A. Room number only
• B. Name and date of birth
• C. Blood pressure reading
• D. Favorite color

Answer: (B)

Verifying identity before delivering care relies on using two unique identifiers to confirm you’re with the right resident. The best choice is to verify by name and date of birth. This pair is typically unique to each resident and can be checked against the resident bracelet and the medical record, ensuring you match the person to the chart before any procedure, medication, or treatment. Relying on a room number alone isn’t safe because rooms can change or residents may be in shared spaces, so a single room assignment doesn’t confirm identity. A blood pressure measurement is a health status check, not identification, and a favorite color has no reliability as an identifier. In practice, follow your facility’s policy, which usually requires two identifiers and may include other options if a resident cannot respond.