❤️ Station 3 — Prescription Writing for Congestive Cardiac Failure
Rapid Revision • Practical Skills • Viva
🎯 Task
A 62-year-old patient with stable symptomatic congestive cardiac failure has peripheral edema. Relevant clinical assessment, renal function and serum electrolytes have been provided and there are no stated drug allergies. Write an appropriate outpatient prescription for this patient.
⚡ Model Station Answer
Age: 62 years |
Date: ____ / ____ / ______
Take one tablet orally twice daily.
Take one tablet orally once daily in the morning.
Take one tablet orally once daily.
Take one tablet orally once daily if clinically stable.
🔎 Stepwise Procedure / Approach
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- Review the scenario. Confirm the indication, clinical stability, current medicines and drug allergies.
- Check prescribing safety. Review blood pressure, pulse, renal function and serum potassium where relevant.
- Write patient details. Record the patient’s name, age and date clearly.
- Write the Rx. Use generic medicine names and specify the dosage form and strength.
- Write complete directions. State the dose, route and frequency clearly without ambiguous abbreviations.
- Specify quantity. State the intended duration or total quantity to be dispensed.
- Recheck the prescription. Look for contraindications, interactions, duplication, inappropriate doses or omitted information.
- Authenticate. Sign, date and provide the required prescriber identification or registration details.
🖼️ Visual Learning
Correct Prescription Writing for Congestive Cardiac Failure
🎥 Practical Video
A short practical demonstration of the essential components of a prescription, including patient particulars, medicine details, directions, date, signature and prescriber identification.
📝 Important Viva Questions
Answer: Patient details, date, Rx, generic medicine name, dosage form, strength, dose, route, frequency, quantity and prescriber authentication.
Answer: Generic names reduce ambiguity and allow clear identification of the active medicine irrespective of brand.
Answer: Furosemide is a loop diuretic used mainly to relieve fluid overload and symptoms of congestion.
Answer: Blood pressure, renal function and serum potassium should be assessed and monitored.
Answer: Serum potassium and renal function are important because spironolactone can cause hyperkalemia.
Answer: It should generally be started or increased when the patient is clinically stable rather than during significant acute decompensation.
Answer: Common errors include omitting the strength, route, frequency, quantity, date or signature, and using unclear abbreviations.