THE PRESCRIPTION

Definition:

·         A prescription is a written order from a doctor, physician or some other registered medical practitioner, to a pharmacist to compound and dispense a specific medicine, dressing or surgical appliance for the patient.

·         Prescription provide information to the pharmacist and patient to,

o   What to be prepared and how much prepared.

o   Time for medicine taken, How much medicine taken for patient

Parts of Prescription:

·         Date

o   Help to find out old case patient.

o   Help to find out misuse of prescription

§  In case of narcotic and psychotic drugs

·         Name, age, sex and address of patient.

o   Help pharmacist to identify patient and avoid misuse

o   Age require for check dose related information (eg. Child, old age)

o   Address help for future contact

·         Superscription. (A Prefix)

o   Rx , this is the sign for this part

o   Which is an instruction to the pharmacist.

o   It is derived from R, an abbreviation for the latin word recipe, meaning ‘take thou’

o   Possibly letter ‘j’ for a prayer to the Jupiter, the god of healing.

·         Inscription.

o   Main part of prescription

o   Consist names and quantities of medicament

o   Name of each ingredient written in separate line with its quantity.

o   Last item written generally the vehicle or solvent.

o   Description of the type of preparation (e.g. mixture, lotion etc.)

o   Now day major formulation prepared by Pharma Company so this part is eliminated.

·         Subscription.

o   Direction to the pharmacist for preparation & number of doses to be dispense.

o   But now day formulation not compounded but available in readymade form so this step also eliminated

·         Signatura (Signa)

o   Direction to the patient regarding.

§  Method of administration

§  Time of administration

§  The diluent if necessary

§  Apply by mean of application (e.g. brush)

§  Part of body to which the formulation applied.

·         Address and registration number of the prescriber.

o   Last part of prescription.

o   Prevent misuse of prescription

o   Registration number help to identify prescriber & his/her license for write special prescription

Official Prescription

Date:

Ashok-Child Name, 10 year, Ahmedabad

Rx

Kaolin Micture

Paediatric B.N.F

Send 200 ml

Label: Two 5mL spoonful to be given, undiluted, three times a day

Prescriber Name, signature, address

Sai Hospital Ashram road, Ahmedabad Contact no. Email
Date: 04/07/2017
Name: xxx	Age: 25	Gender:
Address: 25, society, village, dist, state
Rx
Magnessi carbonatis  -  3 i
Magnessi sulphatis     -  3 i
Aquam menthae piperitae – fl oz ii
Fiat: Mistura                 Mitte: fl oz ii
Signa: cochleare amplum, duo semi hora ante jentaculum summendum.
Signature of prescriber Dr.xxx Reg. No. – Guj/125

Handling of prescription:

·         Receiving:

o   Pharmacist must be present while receiving the prescription.

o   Should not make comment or gesture like disapproving or confused while receiving prescription,

o   Patient wait in waiting area after handover prescription to the pharmacist.

·         Reading and checking:

o   Check all detail of doctor and prevent misuse

o   Date of prescription and name of formulation write clearly or not

o   OPD slip of patient

o   If any incompatibility then concern with prescriber.

o   Spelling error in name of drug and formulation.

·         Collecting and weighing material:

o   Collect all material first

o   Weigh all material and provide label to it.

·         Compounding, labeling and packaging:

o   Compounding only one prescription at a time

o   Compounding in clear space

o   All equipment also thoroughly cleaned

o   Prepare label.

o   Packing in proper container.

Sources of Errors in Prescription:

·         Following are the source of error in prescription:

·         Abbreviation:

o   Tab., Cap.,

·         Name of drug:

o   Small change in name of drug this often confused pharmacist

§  Digitoxin (In kidney function) – Digoxin (In heart failure)

§  Prednisolone (steroid) – Prednisone (immunosuppressant)

§  Indocin (NSAID) – Lincocin (antibiotics)

·         Strength of preparation:

o   Dispense 500 mg PCM, when prescription have no strength.

·         Dosage form of prescribed drug:

o   One API have a many dosage form so dosage from written on prescription

o   E.g. tablet, capsule, liquid, suppository

·         Incompatibility:

Steps of prevention of Error

·         Right patient, Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Time, Right Route,

·         Read label at list 3 time

·         Double check all calculation

·         Do not make assumption

Care required in Labelling at dispensed product:

·         Prepare label as per requirement of the container.

·         Write the advisory caution.

·         Check that the causion is right or not.

·         Check the size of label

·         Make it fit to container

·         Check all detail and verify it.

·         Check about manufacturing date & expiry date.

·         Complete & clear information on label

·         Check 2-3 times before pass.

·         Fix this label on container.

Reference:

1. Pharmaceutics-II, by Dr. G. K. Jani