Authors : Narwane Sandeep P, Narwane Sandeep P, Kharde Anup L, Kharde Anup L, Kharde Rashmi Bhaskarrao, Kharde Rashmi Bhaskarrao
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijpp.2020.001
Volume : 7
Issue : 1
Year : 2020
Page No : 1-3
Introduction: The present study aims to assess the practice of prescription writing before and after a teaching intervention among interns.
Materials and Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, Rural Medical College, Loni. Interns undergoing Internship training programme were included in the study. They were instructed to write a prescription for a common ailment i.e., a patient with throat infection, in a given prescription blank page. The prescriptions were collected before the session of “Prescription Writing” of the Internship training programme, including the above mentioned case as example. After the teaching session was over, the interns were instructed to write the same prescription in light of training received.
Results: The number of interns prescribing the required medicine i.e, antitussives increased statistically. There was also statistically significant reduction in the number of interns who prescribed the unwanted medication i.e, the antimicrobial agents. There was significant increase in number of interns who wrote prescription with date, Generic name, Doctor details, patients details, Instruction to patient, rationality. There was statistically significant reduction in the number of interns prescribing antibiotic use, average number of drugs and over prescription.
Conclusion: Interns tend to make errors during prescription writing indicating a poor retention of undergraduate teaching in Pharmacotherapeutics. An intervention in the form of internship training programme for training of prescription training is essential for reviving their knowledge and skills of prescription writing.
Keywords: Training program, Prescription writing, Rational drug prescribing, Interns, Antimicrobial use.