The prescription

IT CONTAINS DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT PARTS OF PRESCRIPTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE WITH HANDLING OF PRESCRIPTION AND ERRORS IN PRESCRIPTION.

1. THE PRESCRIPTION - PARTS, HANDLING AND ERRORS IN PRESCRIPTION By-MS.NAINA DUBEY ASSO.PROF(SIPS) 1

2. The prescription Definition: - A prescription is a written order from a registered medicinal practitioner to pharmacist to compounding and dispenses a specific medication for the patient. The prescriptions are generally written in the English language but Latin words or abbreviations are frequently used in order to save time. PARTS OF A PRESCRIPTION Date Name, age, sex and address of the patient Superscription Inscription Subscription Signa. Or signatur a Renewal instruction Signature, address and registration number of the prescriber. 2

3. Date : - It helps a pharmacist to find out the date of prescribing and date of prescription for filling the prescription. The prescription which prescribe narcotic or other habit forming drug, must bear the date, so as to avoid the misuse of prescription if it is presented by the patient, a number of times for dispensing. Name, age, sex and address of the patient: - M ust be written in the prescription because it serves to identify the prescription. In case, if any of this information is missing in the prescription, the same may be included by the pharmacist after proper enquiry from the patient. Also used in dose calculation of children. Superscription: - I t is represented by Rx symbol. It is Latin word. It means you take . In older days, the symbol was considered to be originated from the sign of Jupiter, god of healing. This symbol was employed by the ancient in requesting god for the quick recovery of the patient . 3

4. Inscription : - T his is the main part of the prescription order , contains the names and quantities of the prescribed ingredients. The name of each ingredient is written on a separate line along with its quantity. In complex prescription in divided into following parts… Base: - the active medicaments which are intended to produced the therapeutic effect. Adjuvant: - it is included either to enhance the action of medicament or to improve the palatability of the preparation. V ehicle : - it is included in the prescription either to dissolve the solid ingredients or to increase the volume of the preparation . Nowadays, the majority of the drugs are prescribed which are already in a suitable formulation. The pharmacist is required to dispense the readymade from of drugs. So, compounding of prescription is almost eliminated. 4

5. Subscription : - T his comprises direction to the pharmacist for preparing the prescription and number of doses to be dispensed . Si g natura or Signa :- T his consists of the direction to be given to the patient regarding the administration of drug. The instructions given in the prescription are required to be transferred to the container in which the medicament is to be dispensed, so that the patient can follow it. The instruction may include: i . The quantity to be taken or amount to be used . The frequency and timing of administration or application. The route of administration. The special instruction such as dilution direction. 5

6. Renewal instruction : - T he prescriber indicate on every prescription order, whether it may be renewed and if so, how many times. It is very important particularly in the prescription containing the narcotic and habit forming drugs to prevent its misuse . Signature, address and registration number of the prescriber : - T he prescription must bear the signature of the prescriber along with its registration number and address. It is very important particularly in the prescription containing the narcotic and habit forming drugs to prevent its misuse. 6

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8. HANDLING OF PRESCRIPTION The following procedure should be adopted by the pharmacist while handling the prescription for compounding and dispensing:- Receiving Reading and checking Collecting and weighting the materials Compounding, labeling and packaging 1. Receiving : - T he prescription should be revised from the patient by the pharmacist himself. While receiving a prescription, a pharmacist should not change his facial expression which gives an impression to the patient that he is surprised or confused after seeing the prescription. 8

9. Reading and checking : - on receiving a prescription, always check it that it is written in proper format. A prescription should always be screened behind the counter. In case of any doubt regarding the prescription ingredients or directions, the pharmacist should consult the other pharmacist or prescriber. Collecting and weighing the material : - before compounding the prescription, all the materials required for it, should be collected on the left hand side of the balance. After weighing the material it should be shifted to right hand side of the balance. This gives a check of ingredients which have been weighed. While compounding the label of every stock bottle should be read at least 3times in order avoid any error . i. When taken from the shelf or drawer . When the contents removed for weighing and measuring. When the containers are returned back to its proper place. 9

10. Compounding , labeling and packaging: - compounding should be carried out in a neat place. All the equipment etc... Required should be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Only 1 prescription should be compounded at one time. The compounded medicament should be filled in suitable containers depending on its quantity and use. The filled containers are suitable labeled. White plain paper of good quality should be used for labeling the container. The container is polished so as to remove the figure prints. While delivering the prescription to the patient, the pharmacist should explain the mode of administration, direction for use, and storage. 10

11. SO UR CES OF ERROR IN PRESCRIPTION 1 . Abbreviation:- Abbreviation presents a problem in understanding parts of the prescription order. Extreme care should be taken by a pharmacist in interpreting the Abbreviation. Pharmacists should not guess at the meaning of an ambiguous Abbreviation . E.g - AS - Aspirin and Ascorbic acid 2. Name of the drug:- There are certain drugs whose name look or sound like those of other drugs. Some of the example of such drugs is as under: - Digitoxin and Digoxin , Prednisone and Prednisolone 11

12. 3. Strength of preparation:- The strength of the preparation should be stated by the prescriber. It is essential when various strengths of a product are available in market . 4. Dosage form of the drug prescribed:- Many medicines are available in more than one dosage form like as liquid, tablet, capsule, etc... 5. Dose:- Unusually high or low doses should be discussed with the prescriber. Pediatric dosage may present. So pharmacist should consult pediatric posology to avoid an error. Sometime a reasonable dose is administered too frequently. 12

13. 6 . Instructions for the patient:- The instructions for the patient which are given in the prescription are incomplete or omitted. The quantity of the drug to be taken, the frequent and timing of administration and route of administration should be clearly given in the prescription so as to avoid any confusion . 7. Incompatibilities:- It is essential to check that there are no pharmaceutical or therapeutic incompatibilities in a prescribed preparation and that different medicines prescribed for the same patient do not interact with each other to produce any harm to patient. Certain antibiotics should not be given with meals since it significantly decrease the absorption of the drug. 13

14. THANK YOU 14