The devil dwells in the details of new controlled prescription pads:
The new pads have a “Quantity (in units)” section that is supposed to be written in the total number of units, such as mg or mcg. However, pharmacists often receive prescriptions that don’t include units, which can create confusion around whether the physician is referring to units or capsules/tablets/patches, and this can result in significant dispensing errors.
Example:
Prescribing Hydromorphone Contin 3mg, 1 capsule twice a day for 30 days, should ideally list ‘180 mg’ in the quantity section. (3 mg x 2/day x 30 days)
TIP:
If you are pressed for time to calculate the units (or do not have a “growth mindset” for math), it is also acceptable to write the number of capsules/tablets/patches with the appropriate descriptor (e.g., “60 caps”, as in the above example).
Stay tuned for more tips in the Victoria Division’s new Pharmacy Tips & Tricks series, created with input from pharmacists and physician leads.
