When an antibiotic prescription is handed in
On receipt of a prescription for antibiotics, pharmacy staff should ask patients three or four key questions:
- What has the antibiotic been prescribed for? This is to help ensure appropriateness. In addition, before reconstituting liquid antibiotics, it is worth checking if the course is to start immediately or after a delay, as some patients may not realise they have a short expiry once reconstituted.
An example of how to ask the question could be: “To help the pharmacist in checking your prescription, can you please tell me what part of the body the antibiotic has been prescribed for or did the doctor let you know the type of infection he/she wants to treat with the antibiotic?”
- Is the patient pregnant, breast-feeding or having problems with their kidneys or liver? This is to check that the antibiotic or dose is safe for the patient.
- Are there any known allergies? Record allergies on the PMR system.
- If applicable, have they had their flu vaccination?