Which of the following is a prescription error?
A
A prescription for Keflex is filled with cephalexin.
B A medication prescribed bid is typed as “three times daily.”
C A medication prescribed ii gtt od hs is typed as “Instill two drops in the right eye at bedtime.”
D A prescription for 0.5 L is filled with 500 mL.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is B. A medication prescribed bid is typed as “three times daily.”
Explanation:
A prescription error occurs when there is a discrepancy between what the healthcare provider intended and what is actually delivered or communicated. In this case, “bid” is a Latin abbreviation for “bis in die,” which means “twice a day.” The error in this prescription is when it is incorrectly typed as “three times daily,” which is equivalent to “tid” (ter in die). This change in dosing frequency can lead to the patient receiving the medication at an incorrect dosage interval, which may not provide the intended therapeutic effect or could even lead to potential harm from overuse.
While the other options might initially seem like errors, they are not prescription errors:
- A. A prescription for Keflex is filled with cephalexin. Keflex is the brand name for cephalexin, so this is a correct substitution. Both are the same medication, just under different names.
- C. A medication prescribed ii gtt od hs is typed as “Instill two drops in the right eye at bedtime.” This is just a more detailed interpretation of the prescription. “ii gtt” means “two drops,” “od” means “right eye,” and “hs” means “at bedtime.” Therefore, the prescription is correctly translated.
- D. A prescription for 0.5 L is filled with 500 mL. This is not an error because 0.5 L is indeed equivalent to 500 mL. The two units are interchangeable, and this is a correct conversion.
Prescription errors like the one in option B can cause serious issues, ranging from ineffective treatment to adverse effects. Proper interpretation of prescription abbreviations and dosages is crucial in preventing these errors.