Students and teachers can use the following short description of prescriptions in order to expand and check common English usage of terms relating to medical prescriptions, as well as treatments.
A prescription is written by a doctor to give patients medicine needed to alleviate symptoms or stabilize a medical condition that might be chronic in nature. The prescription is written by a physician in order to tell the pharmacist which medication is required. These often include a number of prescription abbreviations.
Prescriptions vs. Recommendations
Prescriptions are used for medications that a doctor feels is necessary for treatment. These are legal documents that are required in order to receive medicine which is prepared by the pharmacist in a pharmacy. Recommendations, on the other hand, are courses of action that a doctor feels will be helpful for the patient. These could include simple daily tasks such as taking a walk or eating more fruits and vegetables.
Dialogue: Giving A Prescription
Patient:… what about the problems I've been having sleeping?
Doctor: I'm going to give you a prescription for some medicine to help you get a better night's sleep.
Patient: Thank you doctor.
Doctor: Here, you can get this prescription at any pharmacy.
Patient: How often should I take the medicine?
Doctor: Just take one pill about 30 minutes before you go to bed.
Patient: How long should I take them?
Doctor: The prescription is for thirty days. If you're not sleeping well after thirty days, I'd like you to come back in.
Patient: Is there anything else I can do to help me sleep at night?
Doctor: Don't worry so much about things at work. I know, I know… easier said than done.
Patient: Should I stay home from work?
Doctor: No, I don't think that's necessary. Just remember to stay calm.
Understanding Prescriptions
Prescriptions Include:
- Patient identifier: first and last name of the patient, as well as the date of birth (DOB)
- Medication (also named "drug"): The medicine that is prescribed
- Strength: How strong the medication prescribed is (50 mg, 100 mg, etc.)
- Amount: How often the patient should take the medicine
- How much: Number of pills, tablets, etc. provided
- Frequency: How often the patient should take the medicine
- Route: How the patient should take the medicine (by mouth, topical, sublingual, etc.).
- Refills: How often the prescription should be renewed
- Signature: Signature of the physician writing the prescription
- Date: The day on which the prescription was written
Key Vocabulary
- amount = how much
- chronic = recurring, happening again and again
- drug = idiomatic term used to refer to medicine
- easier said than done = not easy to do
- frequency = how often something is done
- medical condition = illness, sickness, disease
- medication = medicine
- patient identifier = information that identifies a patient
- pharmacist = person who has a license to prepare medications for patients
- pharmacy = licensed store which sells medicine that requires a prescription
- physician = doctor
- prescription = order from a doctor for medicine
- to refill = to provide medicine again based on a prescription
- route = how medicine should be taken
- strength = how strong the medicine is
- sublingual = under the tongue
- to alleviate = to make easier, to relieve
- to get a good night's sleep = to sleep enough to feel rested
- topical = placed on the skin
- to stabilize = to make regular
- to stay calm = to be relaxed
- to take a pill = to take medicine by mouth
