What is required from a physician to legally administer a medication?

For a physician to legally administer a medication, a doctor's order is required. This order serves as a directive from the physician, indicating the specific medication to be given, the dosage, the route of administration, and the frequency. It establishes the legal basis for the administration of medication, ensuring that it is done safely and according to the physician's clinical judgment regarding the patient's needs.

Other options, such as a prescription, also indicate a physician's authorization for medication, but they typically pertain to instances where a patient is instructed to obtain the medication from a pharmacy rather than being administered directly by the physician. A medical certificate is more related to documentation of health status and does not directly authorize medication administration. A pharmacy label provides information about a medication provided by a pharmacy but does not suffice as the original directive from a physician. Thus, the doctor's order is the critical component that allows for the legal administration of the medication.