Table 1.

Types of prescription errors, discrepancies, and variation

“Best practice” guidelines
1. Illegible prescription
2a. Illegible signature or printed patient name
2b. Illegible signature or printed provider name
3. No date listed on prescription
4. No weight or age recorded on prescription for patients weighing <40 kg
5. Wrong formulation of medication
6. Wrong dose of medication
7. Wrong frequency of medication
8. No information on dose/kg body weight for patients weighing <40 kg
9. No pill quantity
10. Wrong instructions given (e.g., crush long-acting opioid tablet)
11. No callback telephone number
12. Use of error-prone abbreviations, symbols, or dose designations
The Joint Commission
Presence of two patient identifiers, in addition to name, such as any one of the following: address, date of birth, medical record number, photograph, or other identifier
DEA Practitioner’s Manual Valid Prescription Requirements
Patient’s full name
Patient’s address
Practitioner’s full name
Practitioner’s address
Practitioner’s DEA registration number