Medicine prescription to outpatient at Nyamagana District Hospital, Mwanza Tanzania
- Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] 02.05.2022
- Pages x; 24 Includes Refferences and Appendices
Abstract:
Background: Good adherence to medication is facilitated by many factors, one of them is correct prescription writing, and the errors which occur during prescription writing can be errors of omission or commission. Absence of important information in a prescription can lead to poor adherence to medication to the patient. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of medicine prescription in Nyamagana District hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania.
Methods: This prospective study was carried out in Nyamagana District hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. A systematic random selection of prescription in Nyamagana District hospital was performed. Information evaluated were completeness of prescription where prescription were analysed of missing information in the prescription also the percentage use generic name in prescription and percentage of drugs prescribed from essential medicine list for outpatient attended at Nyamagana district hospital.
Results: the results of the study found out that only 44( 7.3%¬ )of 600 prescription studied were complete and percentage use of generic name in prescribing medicine was 557 (96.2%) which is below ideal standard established by WHO and also the drug prescribed by using essential list of medication was 100% which turn out to be standard.
Conclusion: From results of this study it can be concluded that majority of prescriptions were incomplete, except for use of medication from national essential list which was in WHO recommendation that is 100%, while use of generic name was 96.2% which was below ideal WHO value. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for further improvement in the quality of prescription writing by prescribers
= Operational Definitions Polypharmacy Is the use of five or more medication daily by an individual. Operational Definitions Prescription Means a lawfully written direction by a medical practitioner or veterinary doctor for the preparation and dispensation of a medicine by a Pharmacist. Operational Definitions Prescription error Is the failure in prescription writing that can result in giving wrong instruction to the patient, they can be error of omission or commission.
= Abbreviations ADR Adverse Drug Reaction INRUD International Network for Rational Use of Drugs WHO World Health Organization