KEY TERM
ADR
An unexpected negative consequence from taking a particular drug
Extemporaneous Compounding
Compounding products that are done for a specific patient’s immediate need but not commercially available; another name for nonsterile compounding in a community pharmacy
Prescription on Profile
A prescription to be filled at a future date
Transfer Out
A prescription that is transferred out to another pharmacy
DEA Number
An identification number assigned by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to identify someone authorized to handle or prescribe controlled substances within the United States
Inscription
Part of a prescription that identifies the name of the drug, the dose, and the quantities of the ingredients
PRN
The Abbreviation for a common Latin phrase, pro re nata, or “in circumstances,” direction patients to “take as needed” rather than a routinely scheduled dosage
Unit Dose
The amount of drug that has been prepackaged or repackaged for a single administration to a particular patient at a particular time
DAW
DAW1 indicates on prescription a brand name drug is necessary or that a generic substitution is not allowed; DAW2 is used to indicate patient preference for a brand name drug
Non-Sterile Compounding
The preparation of a medication from several pharmaceutical ingredients in an appropriate quantity dosage form in response to a prescription written by a physician; sometimes referred to as extemporaneous compounding
Rx
Prescription; stands for Latin verb recipere, meaning “to take”
Unit of Use
A fixed number of dose units in a stock drug container, usually consisting of a month’s supply of tablets or capsules, such as 30 tablets or capsules
DUR
A procedure built into pharmacy software that alerts pharmacists to check for potential medication errors in dosage, drug interactions, allergies, etc
Partial Fill
A situation in which the pharmacy cannot completely fill the prescription quantity written on the prescription, so a starter amount of the medication has been offered to the patient until the remainder arrives
Sig (Signa)
The part of the prescription that indicates the directions for the patients to follow when taking the medication
Reconstitute
The process of adding distilled water to a powder formulation like an antibiotic; requires a “shake well” and expiration date on the label
E-prescription
A computer-generate digital prescription processed online
Prescription
A direction for medication to be dispensed to a patient, written by a physician or a qualified licensed practitioner and filled by a pharmacist; referred to as an order when the medication is requested in a hospital setting
Transfer In
A prescription that is transferred in from another pharmacy
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