In medicine, prescription involves the preparation of a prescription by a doctor to indicate which drugs a patient should take.
The process and consequences of prescribing are known as prescription . The verb prescribe , on the other hand, refers to indicating, decreeing or ruling on something.
Prescription (from the Latin praescriptio ), however, is a concept with different uses depending on the context. In law , prescription consists of the formalization of a factual situation by the passage of time, which produces the acquisition or extinction of an obligation .
This means that the right to pursue a particular action may expire when a certain amount of time has passed and the statute of limitations has expired. A criminal case, to cite one possibility, may expire if, for various reasons, the judge does not issue the ruling in question within the maximum period established by law.
Prescription in medicine
In the field of medicine , prescription is the action that a doctor performs when prescribing the drugs that his patient must take as part of the treatment of an illness or health disorder.
Prescription of medicines is done on a medical prescription , a legal document that can only be completed by a medical professional. A pharmacist can thus sell medicines (which include various drugs) only to the person who shows a medical prescription, since this is the proof of the prescription made by the doctor.
It is often said that the prescription issued by the doctor is an instruction to the pharmacist, who acts as a dispenser of what the prescriber indicates. Without the doctor's order, the pharmacist cannot dispense drugs.
The prescription is addressed to the pharmacist, who must supply the medicines to the person.
The case of nurses in Spain
At the beginning of 2015, the Spanish Government finally approved what is known as nurse prescription , meaning that nursing professionals can prescribe medicines and health products.
This is a significant change that dates back six years, reflecting a long struggle to achieve greater respect for these essential members of the health system. In principle, they will not be able to prescribe, use or authorize the dispensing of prescription drugs.
Rules related to medical prescription
Let's look at some recommended guidelines for prescribing medications :
* hospital patients may only receive medications that have been expressly prescribed by a doctor;
* all steps necessary to complete the fulfillment of the prescription are under the sole responsibility of the physician;
* the only means by which the prescription can be made is the Medical Order Sheet model established by the hospital;
* prescription is only valid in writing. Even when it is indicated verbally in emergency situations, written ratification is necessary as soon as it is possible to do so;
* It is important to make the prescription as clear and simple as possible, since an erroneous interpretation can lead to complications of varying severity;
* It is mandatory to confirm all Medical Orders every 24 hours. If the doctor needs to make a change, he must clearly state what it is (whether he has added or discontinued a medication, changed its dosage, for example). Likewise, it is recommended to specify the treatment in detail;
* It is always preferable to use the generic name of a medicine rather than a brand name.
In addition to clarity, the medical order must include a series of data necessary to identify the patient and the medication that has been prescribed: name, surname, age, sex and medical record number of the patient; in case of hospitalization, room and bed number; presence of relevant allergies; generic name of the medication; pharmaceutical form; dose, route and frequency of administration; date and time of prescription.