Question

Many individuals believe that dispensing is nothing more than “sticking a label on a box”. Discuss how dispensing contributes towards medication safety.

Answer 1

IMPORTANCE ON DISPENSING

Dispensing refers to the process of preparing and giving medicine to a named person on the basis of a prescription. Which  improve the rational use of medicine, rational prescribing habits. It involves the correct interpretation of the wishes of the prescriber and the accurate preparation and labeling of medicine for use by the patient.Medication dispensing is done without the necessary information  can result in harmful effects to the individual, and therefore providing this service with quality for the users is necessary to promote the rational use of medication.

Dispensing involves giving already available packed medicine/drug manufactured by pharmaceutical manufacturers to patient or patient's caretaker by evaluation of prescription. Good dispensing practice refers to the delivery of the correct drug and medical supply to the right patient in the. required dosage and quantities in the package that potency and quality for a specified period and clear drug information.

Dispensing systems deliver precise amounts of liquid in the nanoliter, microliter, and milliliter range into a microplate or tube. They are used in drug discovery, genomics and proteomics, materials science, forensics, and food safety.

STEPS FOR DISPENSING

1. Receive and Validate. As soon as you receive the prescription, you need to validate it.
2. Understanding the Prescription.
3. Label and Prepare the Medication.
4. Final Check.

DISPENSING ERROR

The three most common dispensing errors are: dispensing an incorrect medication, dosage strength or dosage form; miscalculating a dose; and failing to identify drug interactions or contraindications. Errors caused by drug administration can be made by the health care provider or by the patient themselves.

strategies for minimizing dispensing errors:

1. Ensure correct entry of the prescription. ...
2. Confirm that the prescription is correct and complete. ...
3. Beware of look-alike, soundalike drugs. ...
4. Be careful with zeros and abbreviations. ...
5. Organize the workplace. ...
6. Reduce distraction when possible.