Hospital Rx for Maxitrol

[PT-1]

Hi

Received a hospital prescription today for Maxitrol g. QDS R eye for 2 weeks. Would you dispense the eye drops or ointment formulation in this case?

Patient's next door neighbour came in to pick up the prescription for her who was elderly. We dispensed the ointment version and later the patient rang to inform us it was the eye drops she was expecting.

How would you deal with this situation as the opthalmologist did not specify and we did try to get in touch with the dept in the hospital but to no avail.

Regards

[laurabuk]

Hi,

The opthalmologist did specify drops by the annotation "g" as in gutta - latin for drop. The abbeviation o.c (oculentum) would be eye ointment. This is commonly seen on hospital outpatient prescriptions though I guess its easy to miss if you're not used to seeing it.

Hope that helps?

[johnep]

You will have to swallow your pride and send round the eye drops and retrieve the ointment.
johnep

[hibernia]

Usually drops are prescribed qds with the ointment at night but this is a classic case of whatever you do you will be wrong. The next time you dispense the drops and it will be the ointment they wanted.
One thing is sure - the patient will never believe it is the prescriber's fault, it is always the pharmacist that gets it wrong.

[STC]

As already pointed out, the 'g' on the prescription is latin for drop. I often see this on hospital prescriptions but guess you are a relatively young pharmacist ? Us 'older' pharmacists, (***Avoids looking in Johnep's direction***), are used to these latin abbreviations used primarily by older GPs and Hospital consultants. I am afraid it is your error.

Mind you, it can be confusing. I have recently seen the letter 'G' used in front of a Mercaptopurine script from a consultant. The pre-reg read it as '6' and labelled it as 6 x 50mg Mercaptopurine tablets daily !!! I did point out that the 'G' was an old school way of writing 'Give'. Not only did she learn this, but also the maximum daily dose of mercaptopurine

Cheers

Stephen

[pan_thera]

As already pointed out, the 'g' on the prescription is latin for drop. I often see this on hospital prescriptions but guess you are a relatively young pharmacist ? Us 'older' pharmacists, (***Avoids looking in Johnep's direction***), are used to these latin abbreviations used primarily by older GPs and Hospital consultants. I am afraid it is your error.

Mind you, it can be confusing. I have recently seen the letter 'G' used in front of a Mercaptopurine script from a consultant. The pre-reg read it as '6' and labelled it as 6 x 50mg Mercaptopurine tablets daily !!! I did point out that the 'G' was an old school way of writing 'Give'. Not only did she learn this, but also the maximum daily dose of mercaptopurine

Cheers

Stephen

In case of mercaptopurine, I think it was 6, as 6-mercaptopurine is the actual drug name (if I remember well from uni it means that sulphur (mercapto-) will be attached to 6th atom of carbon in a particle).
And as you all said, g. next to maxitrol will stand for guttae (drops).
P.S. I am reletively young pharmacist, EU-qualified.

[crit care]

its when they want maxitrol ointment for PEG sites..thats when it gets confusing..no 'g' or 'oc' to guide you there!!!

[STC]

In case of mercaptopurine, I think it was 6, as 6-mercaptopurine is the actual drug name (if I remember well from uni it means that sulphur (mercapto-) will be attached to 6th atom of carbon in a particle).
And as you all said, g. next to maxitrol will stand for guttae (drops).
P.S. I am reletively young pharmacist, EU-qualified.

That would have been the case except for the fact that the same consultant was then seen to write the 'G' on all his scripts

Stephen