To display doses that remain to be administered, click
to the right
of the Dose field.
To continue, click OK (ALT+O).
This form can be completed by an MD, PA, NP, RN, or medical student. If completed by an RN or medical student, it must be cosigned. For additional information, see the Overview of Discharge Orders, Instructions, and the Patient Care Referral Form.
Changes made to discharge medication orders trigger an alert for clinicians if the Patient Discharge Medications List (PDML) has already been saved and printed. See Handling the Notifications When Medications Have Changed After PDML Print. The Order Status for patients whose PDML may require reprinting is Discharge (in red).
Face Sheet Discharge Orders and Instructions are not available in the newborn nurseries. You cannot access the forms, even if you select a patient from the associated maternity unit lists or from patient lookup.
If you haven't already:
Select the patient and click Face Sheet Discharge (ALT+F) or Discharge (ALT+G).
If needed, click the Medications folder to access the form.
When available for the selected patient's care unit, the Patient Discharge Medication List (PDML) is generated automatically. If prompted, click one of the buttons at the bottom of the message to continue:
Remind Me Later (ALT+R)—The message will be closed, and presented whenever you open the Medications folder in Discharge.
Close and Don't Remind Me (ALT+C)—The message will be closed and never presented again.
Write prescriptions for medications
To write a prescription, click the Rx column for the medication. The medication prescription form opens automatically.
Oral chemotherapy medications can be resumed from the pre-admission med list (PAML), but the prescription 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.
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 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 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.
To avoid medication 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.
Click to check No Substitutions if needed.
Click OK.
See also:
Reconciling pre-admission (PAML), inpatient, and discharge medication orders—Side-by-side Comparison
Providing anticoagulation therapy data (warfarin, fondaparinux, or enoxaparin)
Viewing, saving, and printing the patient discharge medication list (PDML)
To write and print prescriptions for services, equipment, and supplies, see Writing Prescriptions for Services, Equipment, and Supplies for Discharge.