Completing the Prescription Form

To write a prescription for medication, click the Rx column for the med needing a prescription. The prescription for medication form opens automatically.

Oral chemotherapy medications can be resumed from the pre-admission med list (PAML), but the prescription for medication cannot be generated using the discharge orders function. If you click the Rx checkbox for a PO chemo med, you will be reminded of this. Click OK (ALT+O) to acknowledge the message.
For warfarin prescriptions written for new start patients, the Anticoagulation Management Service (AMS) has been consulted to assist with initiating warfarin; to assure compliance with AMS practice some fields on the prescription writer are disabled. Modifications to the Rx can be made via the strength field or by changing the warfarin discharge medication order. (Some warfarin orders are excluded.)

If you want to dictate patient directions, click to check As Directed Prescription (Enter Directions Below). The text for the Sig line will read "See Directions", rather than being constructed automatically from the dose, form, frequency, and duration.
If the prescription for medication you are writing involves special dosing such as tapering strength or a limited number of doses:

To display doses that remain to be administered, click to the right of the Dose field.
To continue, click OK (ALT+O).

Select a Strength from the drop-down list. If Other, type a description, then click OK (ALT+O).
If you have not checked As Directed Prescription, select the appropriate Dose, Form, and Frequency.
If needed, type the number of days for the administration duration—for ___ day(s).
Type a Dispense amount, then select the appropriate form.
Type the number of Refills allowed, if any.
If needed, type a description in the Directions field.

"As needed" administration is included in the prescription for medication automatically from the PRN checkbox selection and reason from the medication order.
Directions are required if you checked As Directed Prescription, which automatically defines the Sig as "See Directions".
If you did not check As Directed Prescription, directions should not conflict with the Sig that is automatically constructed from the dose, form, frequency, and duration.
Directions print on the prescription for medication.

To avoid prescription errors:

Include a brief notation of purpose (e.g., "for cough"), unless inappropriate.
Do not use vague instructions such as "Take as directed" as the sole direction for use.
Avoid use of abbreviations and Latin directions for use.