Assessment of Prescribers’ Adherence to the Basic Standards of Prescription Order writing in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.

Background: prescribing is the first and foremost component in the process of using drugs. Hence, it is a vital element in rational drug
use. The concept of rational prescribing requires that the prescriber follows correct and complete prescription writing. Prescribing errors
may have various detrimental consequences. Hence, the components of a prescription should be clearly written, free of drug related
omission (incomplete prescription), and fulfill the legal requirements of a prescription.
Objective: - The main objective of this study is to assess prescribers’ adherence to the basic standards of Prescription order writing in
Jimma University Specialized Hospital.
Methods: - A prospective cross sectional study was conducted from January 28, 2013 to February 8, 2013, using structured data
collection format on 384 prescriptions collected during the study period selected as a sample from Jimma University Specialized Hospital
pharmacies using systematic random sampling technique.
Results: - In 39.84 %, 33.86 %, 82.82 %, 6.77 %, 98.69 % and 100 % of the prescriptions, age, sex, card number, name, address and
weight of patients were not recorded, respectively. In 83.60%, 88.28 %, 17.71% and 100% of the prescriptions name, qualification,
signature and address of the prescriber were omitted, respectively. Out of the prescribed drugs 52.57% were written in generic names and
90.36%, 88.55% and 10.16% of prescription orders didn’t indicate the strength, dosage form and doses, respectively. In 15.10%, 9.64%
and 14.58% of the prescribed drugs, frequency of administration, route of administration, and total quantity of drugs or length of
treatment course were omitted, respectively.
Conclusion: - In general, there is poor adherence to the basic standards of prescription order writing in Jimma University Specialized
Hospital.