Prescription and Medication Orders - Beginning of Exam II Content

Performance: Majority of students performed well in the previous exam.
Purpose of Exam: Serves as a second opportunity to demonstrate understanding of topics by utilizing practice exam questions given in advance.
Suggestion: Use practice questions to identify strengths and weaknesses, practice under timed conditions to manage exam anxiety effectively.

Anxiety Management: Recognition that students often feel tense on exam day can hinder performance despite having the knowledge.
Practice Questions: Emphasis on using provided exam practice questions to familiarize oneself with the types of questions that will be on the exam.
Preparation Tips:
- Aim to simulate exam conditions.
- Focus on time management to ensure all questions can be answered.

Content Focus: First exam was a review of the "Into the Farm" material covered previously, including basic pharmaceutical measurements and the Aleppo method.
Students' Familiarity: Acknowledgement that summer break may have led to forgetting material, hence the recap.
Key Skills: Importance of unit conversion and quick problem-solving in pharmaceutical calculations.

New Chapter Introduction: Transition to a chapter on handling prescriptions and calculations related to prescriptions.
- Comparison to previous pre-found classes ensures some familiarity with content.
Topics to Cover:
- Prescription and medication orders.
- Specific gravity and density.
Class Structure: Expect longer initial session due to the need to cover both topics, followed by quicker breakout sessions.

Definition of Prescription: A prescription is a written order for medication issued by a licensed medical practitioner directing a pharmacist to prepare and administer medication to a specific patient.
Components of a Prescription:
1. Prescriber Information: Doctor’s name, facility name, address, and contact information for clarity when modifications or clarifications are needed.
2. Patient Information: Patient’s name, age, and address to verify validity and ensure appropriate medication is given.
3. Superscription: Identified by the term "Rx" meaning "take".
4. Inscription: Contains name and strength of the medication prescribed.
5. Subscription: Direction for dispensing including dosage form and number of units.
6. Signa: Also known as transcription, gives detailed directions on how the patient is to take the medication (routes, dosage, frequency).
7. Refill Instructions: Indicates how many refills can be given, often includes DEA number for controlled substances.

Prescription Example: Illustrative example using a prescription for a child named Susie Smith.
- Key Numbers: Weight of 39.4 lbs, the prescription includes medication dosage instructions (40 mg/kg/day for 10 days).
- Signal Requirements: Importance of calculating total doses and refills correctly.
Compounding Considerations: Prescriptions for compounded medications such as ointments will list ingredient quantities and instructions.

Dosing Calculations: Activity centered on calculating proper dosages based on weight and prescribed medication.
Understanding Abbreviations:
- Latin abbreviations frequently used in prescriptions require memorization and practice to prevent errors in interpretation.
Common Abbreviations:
- q.d. (every day), b.i.d. (twice a day), t.i.d. (three times a day), PRN (as needed), AC (before meals), PC (after meals), and more.
Special Cases: Importance of differentiating between abbreviations that may look similar and could lead to misinterpretation such as AU (both ears) and OU (both eyes).

Signals and Directions: Essential to convey instructions clearly to patients and ensure comprehension of medication schedules.
Roman Numerals: Review of Roman numeral system for prescriptions (I=1, V=5, X=10, etc.) and the rules for addition and subtraction.
Clarification of Symbols: Explanation of frequently used symbols in prescriptions and their meanings should be accurate to avoid dangerous mistakes.

Practice Validity Checks: Emphasis on ensuring every prescription is valid through DEA numbers and confirming prescriber legitimacy.
DEA Number Composition:
- 9-character code; first two letters indicate the type of practitioner.
- Calculation check for its validity using a specific methodology is crucial for pharmacies.

Formulation Examples: Practical examples focusing on doses, conversions, and understanding of what each prescription component entails.
- Calculational Accuracy: Real-world scenarios to reinforce calculations based on specific patient requirements.
- Patient Instructions: Examples showing how to convey medication instructions to patients in layman's terms.

Final Thoughts: Uphold accuracy in prescriptions; memorization of key concepts and regular practice leads to proficiency in pharmaceutical calculations and real-world applications.
Break Time Noted: Reminder to take breaks and regroup for further discussions or Q&A sessions.