Dispensing Techniques Study Notes

TAKORADI TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE (FAS)

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
SEMESTER ONE, (YEAR ONE)
Course code and Title: DPT 111; Dispensing Techniques
Course Weight: 2 Credit Hours
Lecturer: Mrs. Mary Konadu

1.0 Brief Historical Background on Dispensing

  • Origin of Dispensing:
    • Dispensing has its roots in ancient cultures where healers and apothecaries had the role of preparing and dispensing medicinal remedies.
    • Middle Ages (500-1500 AD): Monasteries and convents became key centers for the preparation and dispensing of medicines, managed by monks and nuns who created remedies using herbs and natural substances.
    • 17th and 18th Centuries: Apothecaries emerged as professionals, managing shops where medicines were both prepared and dispensed.
    • Late 19th Century: The rise of pharmaceutical manufacturing led to an increase in the availability of pre-made medications, shifting the role of pharmacists.
    • Early 20th Century: Dispensing became an essential function of pharmacy practice, where pharmacists prepared and dispensed medications according to specific prescriptions.
    • Mid-20th Century: Introduction of automation and technology, including counting machines and computerized systems impacted dispensing significantly.
    • Modern Era (Late 20th Century - Present): Ongoing evolution due to technological advancements such as robotic dispensing systems, barcode scanning, and electronic prescribing.

Introduction to Dispensing

  • Definition of Dispensing:
    • The process of preparing and supplying medicines to a named person, including clear instructions, advice, and counseling regarding the use of those medicines.
  • Key Components of Dispensing:
    • Accurate interpretation of prescribed medicine orders.
    • Precise preparation and labeling of medicines intended for patient use.
    • Encompasses all activities from prescription request to the issuing of medicines to the patient.
  • Good Dispensing Practice (GDP):
    • Ensures the right medicines (quality, dose, strength) are delivered to the correct patient, with appropriate instructions and suitable packaging to maintain medicine quality.

1.1 Key Elements of Good Dispensing Practice

  • Accurate Prescription Handling
  • Proper Medication Storage
  • Labeling and Packaging
  • Patient Counseling
  • Safe Handling of Controlled Substances
  • Hygiene and Cleanliness
1.2 Dispensing Environment
  • Must be safe, clean, and organized to facilitate good dispensing practice. Required features include:
    • Qualified/trained staff
    • Appropriate physical surroundings
    • Adequate shelving and storage areas
    • Proper work surfaces and suitable equipment
    • Necessary packaging materials
  • Responsibility:
    • The accountability for the accuracy and quality of the supplied medicines resides with personnel overseeing the dispensing process.
    • Staff dispensing medicines must have adequate training and technical knowledge, along with effective patient communication skills.

2.0 Dispensing Techniques

  • Definition:
    • Dispensing technique relates to the precise application of liquid adhesives or sealants onto a substrate, ensuring optimal bead shape and size to improve bonding quality.
  • Importance:
    • Aimed at enhancing bonding quality, reducing cycle times, improving accuracy, and lowering material consumption to minimize product failures and customer costs.
  • Applications of Dispensing Techniques:
    • Widely used in various industries such as food, biomedicals, semiconductors, and automotive.

Key Benefits of Dispensing Technique

Quality
  • Higher accuracy and precision: Optimized dispensing enhances overall quality.
  • Higher process repeatability and reliability: Efficient dispensing contributes to reliable processes.
  • Reduced defects: Process control ensures optimal bead size and shape, minimizing failures.
Productivity
  • Reduced cycle times: Efficient dispensing systems lead to quicker processing. The degree of reduction varies with automation level.
  • Minimized rework: Improved quality reduces the need for rework.
  • Lower material consumption and waste: Enhanced accuracy leads to cost efficiency and reduced waste.

3.0 Dispensing Process

  • Adherence to good dispensing procedures is critical to ensure medications are dispensed accurately, detecting and correcting potential errors before reaching the patient.
Key Roles in Dispensing Process:
  • Screening of Prescription: Healthcare professionals (Registered medical practitioner/dentist/pharmacist).
  • Preparation of Medicines: Conducted by pharmacists or supervised assistants.
  • Supplying the Medicines: Again, strictly by registered healthcare professionals.
  • Counseling: Delivered by healthcare professionals to ensure communication of medication use.

4.0 Regulations on Dispensing Psychotropic Substances

  • Regulation 11 (Poisons Regulations 1989):
    • Only prescribed by registered medical professionals for patient treatment.
  • Regulation 16:
    • Only registered practitioners can administer psychotropic substances for medical treatment.

5.0 Prescription

a. Definition:

  • A written or electronic order from a healthcare professional for a pharmacist to dispense specific medication to a patient along with corresponding usage instructions.

Processing a Prescription

A-i. Screening
  • Upon receiving a prescription, it must be validated to ensure correctness for the respective patient and compliance with regulations.
    • Legibility: Prescriptions must be clear or printed.
    • Information Requirements:
    1. Patient Details:
      • Name, address, identification number (IC/Passport No).
    2. Prescription Details:
      • Complete drug regimen, including the name of the medicine, dose, frequency, administration, duration, prescriber’s signature, registration number, the doctor’s name, address, and the date.
    • Important Writing Practices:
    • Prescriptions should predominantly use generic medicine names; abbreviations should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
    • Prescriptions for children under 12 should include age and body weight.
A-ii. Interpreting the Prescription Order
  • Confirm various aspects:
    • Drug dose, frequency, duration.
    • Identify potential interactions, duplications, allergies, and drug misuse.
  • For partial supply, ensure proper tracking of subsequent orders.
A-iii. Handling Prescription Clarifications
  • In cases of incomplete prescriptions requiring clarification:
    • Contact the prescriber directly if available.
    • Amendments must be verified and appropriately logged on the prescription.
A-iv. Handling Stock-Out Situations
  • Define stock-out and its implications during prescription processing:
    • Protocol: Inform prescriber and patient, substitute if needed, and track follow-ups accordingly.

6.0 Prescription Handling Terminologies

  • Patient Health Record:
    • Document containing all relevant patient medications and healthcare history.
  • Patient:
    • Any individual using or in potential need of healthcare services, including their support individuals.
  • Prescriber:
    • Authorized healthcare professional to issue prescriptions within their scope of practice.
  • Pharmacist:
    • Professional responsible for: medication dispensing, prescription management, patient counseling, drug interaction monitoring, health advice, and education.

7.0 Endorsing and Disposing of Prescriptions

  1. Endorsing Process:
    • Pharmacies are legally required to check the prescription’s accuracy and validity before dispensing.
    • Verification involves confirming the patient identity and medication history.
    • Authorization is needed to finalize a prescription, particularly for controlled substances.
  2. Disposal of Prescriptions:
    • Involves secure disposal of medications to prevent misuse and drug pollution. Methods can include shredding paper prescriptions and safely returning unused medications.

8.0 Extemporaneous Preparation/ Compounding

  • Custom medications made by a pharmacist when commercial alternatives are not accessible or inadequate.
  • Risk Assessment: Prior to preparing, assess the nature of the product, preparation techniques, and risks involved.
  • Ensure quality and safety are paramount, maintaining proper records for a minimum of two years.

9.0 Labeling Practice

  • Labelling Requirements:
    • Every dispensed medication must contain clear, legible instructions that comply with legal requirements.
  • Components of Labels:
    • Patient’s details, medication information, prescriber data, and explicit guidance on usage and expiry.

10.0 Packaging and Containers

  • Definition of Packaging:
    • The science and art of designing containers that maintain drug efficacy.
  • Container Materials:
    • Should be capable of protecting the contents from environmental hazards and be non-reactive.

11.0 Quality Control in Dispensing

  • Regular inspections and maintenance checks of dispensing equipment are crucial to ensure accurate medication management and patient safety.

12.0 Dosage Forms Overview

  • Types of Dosage Forms:
    • Unit solid forms, bulk forms, semi-solids, liquids, and gases tailored for administration and bioavailability differences.
  • Applications and Characteristics:
    • Each form is designed for specific efficacy, safety, and patient compliance needs.

13.0 Absorption Mechanism

  • Mechanisms of Absorption:
    • Broadly categorized into active transport and passive diffusion across cellular membranes, emphasizing the role of dosage forms.

14.0 Solution Characteristics

  • Definition of a Solution:
    • A homogeneous mixture of solute(s) in solvent, essential in various pharmaceutical formulations for bioavailability and stability.

15.0 Antibiotic Usage in Dispensing

  • Considerations made in prescribing antibiotics include therapeutic compatibility and potential adverse drug interactions.

16.0 Significance of State Changes in Matter

  • Impacts on Drug Quality: Understanding the physical states and changes are critical for dosage formulation, stability, and manufacturing processes in the pharmaceutical industry.

17.0 Exercise Questions

  1. Define the following: Drug, excipients, dosage forms.
  2. List four pharmaceutical dosage forms and give examples.
  3. Discuss routes of administration including their advantages and disadvantages.
  4. Outline factors affecting absorption.
  5. List states of matter and their characteristics.
  6. Discuss the importance of solubility checking in reference materials.