 Instructions say
P.O. q 4 h prn
pain.
 Can you rewrite
in English?
Prescriptions – Chapter 5
Prescriptions
 Prescriptions are written orders from a
practitioner for the preparation and
administration of a medicine or a device.
 Community pharmacist’s dispense
directly to the patient and the patient is
expected to administer the medication
according to the pharmacist’s directions
 In institutional settings, nursing staff
generally administer medication to
patients.
The Prescription Process
page 76-77
 A prescription is written by the
prescriber
 The written prescription is presented
at the pharmacy
 Prescription information is checked
 Patient and prescription data is
entered into the system
 Prescription is processed
The Prescription Process





Label is generated
Prescription is prepared
Prescription is checked
Patient receives the prescription
Pharmacist provides counseling
Pharmacy Abbreviations
 Abbreviations for many medical
terms are regularly used in the
pharmacy
 Review common abbreviations on
pages 78 and 79
 Rewrite these prescriptions.
 Hydrocodone 100mg po q4-6h prn pain
.
 Alphagen 0.1% gtts q8h ou
l
Prescription Information
 Elements of the prescription
Prescription Information Checklist







Patient Name
Patient data
What is the medication?
When was the Rx written?
Is the drug available?
Does the drug need compounding?
Is the Rx suspicious in any way?
The Fill Process
 Once prescription information is
finalized, a label and receipt is
printed.
 The pharmacy tech completes the fill
process by placing the correct
amount of medication into an
appropriate container and applies the
label.
 The pharmacist then checks the final
product and the label.
Avoiding errors
 If unsure about any prescription, ask the
pharmacist for directions. Never dispense
guesswork!
 Medication errors can be very serious. They
include




Giving the wrong medicine
Giving the wrong strength
Giving the medication to the wrong patient
Giving medication on a forged or altered
prescription
Labels
 Label gives information and directions
for use.
Auxiliary Labels
 Provides additional information and
warnings.
Label directions for use
 Directions should start with a verb
and completely, clearly and
accurately describe the administration
of the medication.
 Indicate the route of administration.
 Use whole word, not abbreviations
 Use familiar words, especially in
measurements.
Institutional Labels – Unit Dose
 Unit dose packaging is used in
hospitals and other institutional
settings.
Pharmacist/Pharmacy Tech Roles
 Make sure you are familiar with the
roles of the pharmacist and pharmacy
tech. See page 83 in your text book.
Bell work 3/2
 Federal laws always take precedence
over state laws in the practice of
pharmacy. True or False
 Where did you find this in chapter 5?