Details of prescription

1. Prescription
DEFINATION
PARTS OF PRESCRIPTION
HANDLING OF PRESCRIPTION
MADE BY KASHISH WILSON
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
MM COLLEGE OF PHARMACY MM(DU)MULLANA
AMBALA

2. Prescription Definition
 Prescription is an order written by a physician, dentist or any other medical
practitioner to the pharmacist to compound & dispense a specific medication for
individual patient .
 Prescription provides a common link of mutual interest between the physician, the
pharmacist and the patient.
 Pharmacist duty is not only to compound prescribed
medicine but also guide patients about the proper
administration to patients.
 Prescription work by direction for pharmacist and
for patient.

3. Parts of Prescription
Complete prescription involves following parts
1. Headings:
Date, Personal data of Prescription-Name ,age, sex
and address of the patient
2. Body -Superscription , Inscription, Subscription
3. Closing - Signature of patient , Signature of physician,
address and registration number of prescriber.

4. Date:
 Date should be written on the prescription by the prescriber at the same moment
when written.
 The date helps to examine cases when prescription is brought after a long break
for dispensing.
 Date is mandatory while dispensing narcotic drugs.
 It helps in maintaining record and re-dispensing medicine to guide patient.

5. Personal data of Prescription
 It includes name, age, sex and address of the patient(written on the prescription)
 In cases, If name is missing, pharmacist should inquire all particulars and enter on top of
prescription.(Patient full name is mandatory)’
 In children cases, age and sex is necessary to check medication and dose.
 Address is necessary to keep record for reference at a later stage and its contact and
deliver medicines personally.

6. Body:
 Superscription: is represented by Rx symbol which is abbreviation of Latin word
recipe means ‘take thou’ or ‘you take’
 Rx is always written on top of prescription.
 In mythology days, Rx symbol was considered as prayer to Jupiter- the god of
healing, for quick recovery of the patient.

7. Continue:
 Inscription- It leads to main part of prescription in which the name and quantity of
prescribed ingredients is mentioned.
 It also contain manner in which medicine should be taken.
 In complex prescriptions which means several ingredients, inscription divides in three
parts
1. The base or the active medicament which is intended to produce therapeutic effect
2. The excipients which is included either to enhance the action of the medicament
3. The vehicle which is either used to dissolve the solid substances or to increase the
volume of the preparation for ease of administration.

8. Continue:
 Subscription- This contains prescriber’s directions to the pharmacist
 It gives details such as
1. type of dosage form to be prepared
2. number of doses to be dispensed.

9. Closing:
 Signatura – is abbreviated by Sig on prescriptions which shows directions for
patients regarding administration of drugs.
 It includes quantity of medicament or number of dosage units to be taken, for
how many times a day or what time and in what manner drug is administered or
applied or taken.

10. Continue:
 Prescription is signed with prescribers own hand.
 Address and Registration no should be written in case of dangerous drugs.
(narcotic drugs) which requires specific license.

11. Handling of Prescription
 Receiving
 Dosage calculation
 Compounding & Dispensing
 Finishing
 Pricing
 Delivering

12. Receiving
 It is Pharmacist duty to receive the Prescription by himself
 It includes
a) Reading the prescription
Prescription should be read carefully from top to bottom
completely
b) Checking the prescription
Incompatibility should be checked.

13. Calculation of Dose
 Child dosage calculated by
Young’s formulae
Child dose= Age × adult dose
Age + 12
Child dosage calculated by
Fried’s rule:
Child dose= Age(month) × Adult dose
150

14. Compounding & Dispensing
 It is most important phase in handling prescription
 In accurate methods, cleanliness and proper techniques are used.
 Only one prescription compounded at a time.
 During compounding, full attention is required(prohibiting telephone
and communication with friends ) to prevent wrong compounding of two
excipients at a time
 Accurate method is required for compounding of drugs.
 For weighing, electrical calibrated machines are used.

15. Finishing the prescription
 It includes
1. Packaging
2. Labeling
3. Rechecking
4. Filling

16. Packaging
 After going through successful compounding , packaging is done
 Following types of formulations are packed such as
1. Vials round in shape
2. Oval bottles
3. Dropper bottles
4. Amber coloured bottles
5. Ampoules
6. Catchets
7. Tablets and capsules

17. Labelling
 After packing, labelling of filled container should be properly done and label
should be affixed on smooth container.

18. Label
 Label includes
1. Type of prescription
2. Name, age & sex of patient
3. Date of dispensing
4. Storage condition
5. Name & address of pharmacy
6. In case of liquid preparation attach auxiliary label
7. Shake well before use
8. Route of administration

19. Rechecking- Each prescription should be rechecked.
After labeling container should be thoroughly polished
to remove finger prints
Recording A variety of prescription files are available which serve to maintain
and preserve original prescription in numerical order

20. Pricing of Prescription
 The prescription should be priced immediately after receiving it & informed the
patient about it. This should be done before starting the compounding to avoid
any dispute.
 Delivering the prescription
1. Store Deliverys
2. Home Delivery/ Mail Delivery

21. Thank you