EXERCISE ON PRESCRIPTION AUDIT : A TOOL FOR PHARMACOLOGY PRACTICAL LESSON

To improve the understanding and perception about rational prescribing among the Undergraduate (UG) students, a record based study 'exercise on prescription audit' was undertaken as self-directed learning strategy. Study was conducted on Objectively Structured Evaluation of pharmacotherapy taking one year record of prescriptions in Bed Head Tickets (BHTs) of discharged Ophthalmic in-patients. Standard format for prescription writing, WHO guide to Good prescribing and Essential Medicines were followed to assess the in-patient prescriptions. Students improved markedly (p< 0.001) in audit of real prescriptions. Results revealed that 37 types of drugs were prescribed over 948 BHTs. Completeness of the prescription showed 100% perfection in maximum indicators with exception in judicious investigations (99.89%), medication information (89.32%) and relevant advices for patient (97.12%). Subsidiary or symptomatic drugs (56.76%) were prescribed more than the core drugs (43.24% of total drugs prescribed). Generic prescription was 54.05%. Study in turn improved the understanding and perception about rational prescribing among the students. The students gained knowledge about the utilization of different types of dosage forms of drugs. Prescription audit as self-directed learning must be a tool for practical lesson of Pharmacology for UG-course as well as for PG-curriculum.