30DEC

Libyan International Conference for Health Sciences

The First Libyan International Conference for Health Sciences (2024): Open University, Tripoli, Libya
Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
https://app.periodikos.com.br/journal/medjpps/article/doi/10.5281/zenodo.7115118

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Short communication

Common errors in writing of prescriptions in Benghazi

Arwa Benkhaial, Isra Ibzaew, Shog Elkezza, Hajer Ahmed, Yasmine Abdulkader

Downloads: 0
Views: 174

Abstract

Good prescription writing is essential for dispensing the right drug formulation and dose. When prescriptions are not legible, inaccurate and do not include complete information, there is a possibility of prescribing errors occurring, which leads to adverse events. Poor handwriting is another important issue that makes the information unclear; especially look-alike drug names that may be confused by the pharmacist. World Health Organization has issued a practical manual for Good Prescribing that includes the essential information that should be included in a prescription. In this study, we attempt to investigate the problem of bad prescribing habits in out-patient prescriptions in Benghazi, Libya. Two hundred seventy-five out-patient prescriptions were collected from two private pharmacies on four consecutive days. These prescriptions were scanned for any errors or missing information depending on the standard criteria established by the World Health Organization in its practical manual "Guide to Good Prescribing". The collected data were processed and statistically analyzed by using SSPSS to calculate the percentage of missing information. Eleven percent (11.0%) of the prescriptions had no address or name of the prescriber on them while 58.0% had no date written on them and in 21.0% the prescriber did not sign the prescription. The age of the patient was only written on 38.0% of the prescriptions. The name of the medication was not clearly written in 18.0% of the prescriptions, while the dosage form of the medication was not written at all in 18.0% and not clearly written in 20.0% of the prescriptions. The total amount of the prescribed drug was not written in 30.0% of the prescriptions. It is concluded that prescribers included in this study wrote prescriptions with a lot of missing and unclear information as per WHO guidelines for good prescribing. This shows the weak attitude of Libyan prescribers toward the different aspects of “Good Prescribing”.

Keywords

Prescription, good prescribing, Libya, out-patient prescriptions

References

  1. De Vries TP, Henning RH, Hogerzeil HV, Fresle DA (1994) WHO Guide to good prescribing: A practical manual, WHO Geneva, Action Programme on Essential Drugs. Document number: WHO/DAP /94.11. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/59001.
  2. Carolina J P W Keijsers, Wieke S Segers, Dick J de Wildt, Jacobus R B J Brouwers, Loes Keijsers, Paul A F Jansen (2015) Implementation of the WHO-6-step method in the medical curriculum to improve pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 79 (6): 896-906. doi: 10.1111 /bcp.12575
  3. Principles of prescribing writing and other pharmacotherapeutic considerations (2008) LWBK088-03. Pickett-3870G LWBK088-Pickett.cls.Printer: RR Donnelley, China.
  4. United Nations (2003) Guidelines for national regulations concerning travelers under treatment with internationally controlled drugs. E-book [online] Available at: www.incb.org/documents/Psychotropics/guide lines/travel-regulations/Intl_guidelines_travell_study/12-57111_ENG_Ebook.pdf. Accessed: 10. August. 2022.
  5. Maxwell SRJ (2016) Rational prescribing: the principles of drug selection. Clinical Medicine. 16 (5): 459-464. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.16-5-459
  6. Bryan R, Aronson JK, Williams A, Jordan S (2021) The problem of look-alike, sound-alike name errors: Drivers and solutions. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 87: 386-394. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14285
  7. Teichman PG, Caffee AE (2002) Prescription writing to maximize patient safety. Family Practice Management. 9 (7): 27-30. PMID: 12221761.
  8. Gandhi TK, Weingart SN, Seger AC, Borus J, Burdick E, Poon EG, Leape LL, Bates DW (2005) Outpatient prescribing errors and the impact of computerized prescribing. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 20 (9): 837-841. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.0194.x
  9. Billstein-Leber M, Carrillo CJD, Cassano AT, Moline K, Robertson JJ (2018) ASHP guidelines on preventing medication errors in hospitals. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 75 (19): 1493-1517. doi: 10.2146 /ajhp170811
  10. Dean B, Schachter M, Vincent C, Barber N (2002) Prescribing errors in hospital inpatients: their incidence and clinical significance. Quality & Safety in Health Care. 11 (4): 340-344. doi: 10.1136/qhc.11.4.340
  11. Avery AJ, Ghaleb M, Barber N, Franklin BD, Armstrong AJ, Serumage B, Dhillon S, Freyer A, Howard R Talabi O, Mehta LR (2013) The prevalence and nature of prescribing and monitoring errors In English general practice: a retrospective case note review. British Journal of General Practice. 63 (613): e543-e553. doi: 10.3399/bjgp13X670679
  12. The Health Foundation (2012) Evidence scan: reducing prescribing errors. The Health Foundation. April, 2012. 1-36. doi: Nil.
  13. Ansari M, Neupane D (2009) Study on determination of errors in prescription writing: A semi-electronic perspective. Kathmandu University Medical Journal. 7 (3): 27, 238-241. doi: 10.3126/kumj.v7i3.2730
  14. Sherif FM (2008) Evualtion of the prescribing patterns of drugs in Libya. Jamahiriya Medical Journal. 8 (3): 203-206. doi: Nil.
  15. Velo GP, Minuz P (2009) Medication errors: Prescribing faults and prescription errors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 67 (6): 624-628. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2009.03425.x
  16. Lesar TS, Briceland L, Stein DS (1997) Factors related to errors in medication prescribing. Journal of the American Medical Association. 277 (4): 312-317. PMID: 9002494.

Submitted date:
08/11/2022

Reviewed date:
08/26/2022

Accepted date:
09/06/2022

Publication date:
11/07/2024

672d2f53a953953e9001d719 medjpps Articles
Links & Downloads

Mediterr J Pharm Pharm Sci

Share this page
Page Sections