manual on management of drugs

c. the patient clearly understands as to how the drugs prescribed are to
be taken;
d. the patient is educated about the common and significant side
effects of the drugs.
8. The dispensing officers should,
a. dispense the exact amounts of drugs prescribed
b. educate the patients on how to use the drugs and their possible side
effects.
c. advise the patient to take the full course of drugs prescribed.
d. educate the patient regarding the safe (eg. keep out of reach of
children) and proper storage of the drugs.
9. All prescribing officers should exercise utmost care in prescribing expensive
drugs. Whenever possible, prescribing officers should refrain from issuing
prescriptions for tonics etc. even on request, to be purchased outside, since it
brings disrepute to the institutions and causes hardships to the patient.
Where a drug or a substitute is available in the institution, prescriptions should
not be issued for purchase outside.
10. In the wards, repeating drugs should not be complied with at the end of the fifth
day if number of days has not been specified at the time of prescribing or the
drugs are reordered by name, dosage and frequency.
11. The Chief Pharmacist of the institution should bring to the notice of all
authorized prescribing officers the cost of antibiotics as well as the other
expensive, frequently used drugs so that the Head of the Institution can
encourage them to be cost-conscious.
12. The poster “Do you know the cost?” should be displayed prominently at the
clinics. OPD and wards, so as to inspire a sense of cost consciousness among
the prescribes.
13. All drugs prescribed for over 3 days and antibiotics over 5 days for OPD patients
should be authorized by the head of the institution or the officer delegated for
that purpose.
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