How To Write Medications On Page 2
Transcript
And doctors, in today's session, we will be focusing on an essential aspect of medical practice, prescribing antibiotics accurately and effectively. Understanding how to complete a prescription sheet correctly is not only a key part of patient safety, but also crucial in ensuring proper antibiotic stewardship. Let's walk through the process step by step to ensure that nothing is missed. We'll be focusing on the prescription sheet found on Page 2, which is dedicated to antibiotics first when prescribing an antibiotic. You'll see fields for up to five different antibiotics. Always begin by writing the name of the antibiotic in capital letters. This makes the medication name stand out clearly for everyone who handles the prescription. The next important step is to write the correct dose of the antibiotic alongside the appropriate units. For well known units like milligrams or grams, abbreviations such as MG or G are acceptable. However, for less commonly abbreviated units such as micrograms, always write the full term to avoid confusion or misinterpretation. After specifying the dose, move on to the route of administration. This could be oral, intravenous, or any other method depending on the patient's needs and the medications form. Always make sure to include both the start date and the stop date of the antibiotic course. To avoid any unnecessary prolonged use or complications to ensure you prescribe the correct medication at the right dose, it's important to always consult the British National Formulary or BNF When in doubt. This resource provides accurate and up-to-date dosing guidelines based on the latest clinical evidence. Once you've completed the details about the antibiotic, don't forget to write your name and sign the prescription. This is your confirmation of the accuracy of the prescription. Additionally, be sure to add your GMC number. And bleep number The bleep number allows health care staff to contact you in case they have any queries regarding the prescription. An essential field is the indication for the prescription. Here you should document the reason for prescribing the antibiotic such as a bacterial infection, sepsis or other medical condition. This helps ensure clarity for the healthcare team who may be involved in the patients care. Later In this section, there are two additional fields labeled sensitivities and micro which are intended for documenting. Relevant microbiology findings and bug sensitivities. We will explore these fields in greater detail later in this session. In the additional information field, include any special instructions relevant to the prescription. For instance, you may need to add notes on medication review schedules or specific instructions regarding the dilution or administration of certain antibiotics, such as vancomycin. This field can also be used for directions on the application of topical medications such as ointments. The last part to consider is the pharmacy. Field This area is not for the prescribing Dr. to complete. It is reserved for the pharmacist who may add relevant notes after reviewing the prescription. Lastly, let's look at the date and time of administration section. Special emphasis should be given to the frequency and duration of administration. This part will be completed by the nursing staff who will check off each dose as it is administered. It is vital that your instructions are clear and detailed as they guide the nursing staff on how to safely administer the antibiotic. Including any special instructions beyond the prescription itself. One key principle to remember is that antibiotics should be reviewed 48 hours after administration. This practice is clearly documented in the Prescriptions Date and Time section. Additionally, a reminder to adjust the medication based on the patient's response may be written in the Additional Information section. When the duration is not explicitly specified, the convention is to prescribe antibiotics for five days. This ensures that the patient receives an adequate. Forced to address the infection, vancomycin's mechanism of action is based on how long the drug concentration stays above the minimum inhibitory concentration or Mike. This is why maintaining appropriate trough levels is so important as it ensures adequate bacterial killing. Vancomycin is especially effective against Gram positive bacteria, including MRSA. To achieve this, consistent dosing intervals are needed to maintain therapeutic levels with careful monitoring to balance efficacy and the risk of toxicity. Now let's discuss the purpose of the sensitivities and microbiology approved fields often found on page two of the prescription sheet. The goal is to guide treatment decisions based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing or asked results. Asked helps determine which antibiotics are effective against specific bacterial strains, allowing for customized therapy. This improves treatment outcomes by targeting the most appropriate antibiotics. Break points are clinical thresholds used to classify bacteria based on their MIC. Values helping to prevent the misuse of antibiotics and resistance development. When interpreting asked results, different categories describe how bacteria respond to antibiotics. If bacteria are categorized as susceptible, they are likely to be inhibited, making the antibiotic the preferred choice and intermediate result means effectiveness is less predictable and may require higher doses. Resistant means the bacteria will not be inhibited by achievable drug concentrations. While susceptible, dose dependent indicates that effectiveness depends on adjusting the dosage regimen. The 48 hour antibiotic review is a key point in managing therapy effectively. The purpose of this review is to assess whether the chosen antibiotic remains appropriate and effective. At this stage, decisions are made to continue, adjust, or stop antibiotics based on the patient's response and clinical data. Key factors include the clinical response, microbiological results, antibiotic choice, and dosing. As well as patient specific factors, the goal is to ensure therapy is optimized for both safety and effectiveness. When assessing the clinical response, it's important to evaluate the signs and symptoms. Is the patient improving, worsening, or showing no change? Resolution indicators include a reduction in fever and infection signs alongside the normalization of vital signs. It's also essential to monitor for any new symptoms that might suggest complications or an alternative diagnosis. This continuous assessment. Helps guide the course of treatment to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. Evaluating microbiological results is another key component of antibiotic stewardship. Culture and sensitivity analysis confirms the causative pathogens and their susceptibilities to antibiotics. This allows for de escalation, meaning switching to narrower spectrum antibiotics when appropriate. If cultures come back negative, you should consider discontinuing antibiotics if there's no clear evidence of infection. Such targeted therapy improves effectiveness and helps reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. Finally, reviewing the antibiotic choice, dosing, and patient factors is critical in ensuring ongoing therapy is appropriate. It's important to reassess if the antibiotic remains the best option for the patient's condition. Dosing adjustments may be needed based on the patient's response, and it's also important to review the route of administration, such as switching from intravenous to oral therapy when the patient is stable. Additionally, consider the patient's renal and hepatic function, allergies, and any adverse reactions that may have occurred, ensuring the treatment plan remains safe and effective. Thank you for joining us today. We hope this session helped you gain a clearer understanding on how to fill the antibiotic section on page 2 effectively. Stay tuned for our next episode where we will discuss how to write medications correctly for page three of the prescription sheet. We'll cover more scenarios to ensure you're fully equipped for the PLAB 2. Sam, don't miss it. We look forward to seeing you in the next episode. Please like and subscribe to Turing Med School. Good luck with your preparation.To view or add a comment, sign in