Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsParts of a PrescriptionPrescription ExampleNewer and Simpler InformationWhat to Do if You Can’t Read It
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Parts of a Prescription
Prescription Example
Newer and Simpler Information
What to Do if You Can’t Read It
A modern doctor’s prescription is often digital, and you may not see it when sent from your healthcare provider directly to the pharmacy. For some controlled substances, digital prescriptions are even required.But when you need to read a prescription, it can still be pretty hard to decipher.
Knowing how to read a prescription will help you understand the meanings ofvarious notationsabout what drug to use, how it should be dispensed, and how and when to take your medication.
This article will help you understand theabbreviationsincluded when your healthcare provider writes a prescription. You’ll be better equipped to decode a prescription or ask questions, which can help you avoid a medication error and give you better insight into your treatment.
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A prescription is always written in a specific way. It identifies you and your healthcare provider, lists the specific medication prescribed, and includes details such as how to take the medication.
Identification
A prescription will always identify the healthcare provider who ordered the medication and the person who needs it. Your first and last name, along with a date of birth, are displayed. Some states require an address.
If your prescription is for certain controlled substances, it also will include a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number.
How to Read Your Healthcare Provider’s Prescription
Medication: The Rx Details
This part of the prescription also includes the strength of the drug (how many milligrams, for example) and the tablet, capsule, or other form in which your healthcare provider wants you to take it. A note called “Disp” refers to this information about how the drug should be dispensed.
The information includes how often you take your medication and the reason for it, called the indication. This is often on the same line as “sig,” an abbreviation for the Latin wordsigneturthat refers to the written instructions.
These are some of the notations about how to take medication that are commonly found on prescriptions:
Abbreviations about the route of administration (how you take the medication) include the following:
You may see a symbol on your script that looks like a “T” with a dot at the top of it. This abbreviation means one pill. There may be one to 4 Ts with dots at the top of them signifying one to four pills.
Other Prescription Information
Additional details often found in a prescription include whether it can be refilled, and if so, the number of times. It also includes permission for substitutes, if necessary, along with a healthcare provider’s signature and the date.
Some prescriptions include “dispense as written,” or DAW, in the instructions. This means that no substitute should be used.
Consider a hypothetical prescription for penicillin written as follows:
Here is what the notation on this prescription means:
Using the information noted on this prescription, the pharmacist will provide a bottle of Penicillin VK with label directions indicating that 1/2 teaspoon of the medication should be taken four times each day for seven days.
As with other medications, your healthcare provider information (name, office address, NPI, etc.) will appear on the penicillin prescription. So will a signature and the date.
Newer Prescriptions Are Often Simpler
In the digital era, prescriptions may be simpler to read. Having a printed prescription means you won’t have to try to read or understand your provider’s handwriting. Even when the prescription is sent directly to the pharmacy, your provider will give you printed information about your medication and the condition it’s used to treat.
Pharmacies, too, have easy-to-read information in plain language. Usually, you can receive these forms when you pick up the drug. If not, ask the pharmacist if you have questions. They are skilled professionals who are well-trained to answer your questions regarding medication dosages, side effects, and adverse effects.
If you don’t understand your prescription or the details about it, ask questions. Healthcare providers want you to know what you’re taking and why, and feel confident about your treatment.
If you suspect an error on your prescription, notify your healthcare provider and pharmacist right away. Keep an eye on all fields; it’s possible to have the right medication but the wrong dosage, for example, or for a provider and pharmacy to miss a potentially serious drug interaction with something you already take.
Common Prescription Abbreviations for Medication
Summary
There’s a good chance that your healthcare provider sends prescriptions electronically and directly to the pharmacy, but you may still need to read a prescription yourself. Decoding a prescription is an important skill that can limit any errors and keep you an active partner in your care.
The notations on your prescription are part of a standard format, written in both English and Latin. It includes three basic parts: information about you, information about your provider, and information about the drug they’re prescribing and the reason you need it.
Typically, your pharmacist also will provide information about your prescriptions and include printed material that comes with your medications.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Everson J, Cheng AK, Patrick SW, Dusetzina SB.Association of Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances With Opioid Prescribing Rates.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2027951. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27951.Fallaize R, Dovey G, Woolf S.Prescription legibility: bigger might actually be better.Postgrad Med J. 2018;94(1117):617-620. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136010.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.National Provider Identifier Standard (NPI).Drug Enforcement Administration.Prescriptions Q&A.University of Minnesota.Prescription abbreviations.Minnesota.gov.Partial list of prescription abbreviations.American Medical Association.Patient rights.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Everson J, Cheng AK, Patrick SW, Dusetzina SB.Association of Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances With Opioid Prescribing Rates.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2027951. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27951.Fallaize R, Dovey G, Woolf S.Prescription legibility: bigger might actually be better.Postgrad Med J. 2018;94(1117):617-620. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136010.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.National Provider Identifier Standard (NPI).Drug Enforcement Administration.Prescriptions Q&A.University of Minnesota.Prescription abbreviations.Minnesota.gov.Partial list of prescription abbreviations.American Medical Association.Patient rights.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Everson J, Cheng AK, Patrick SW, Dusetzina SB.Association of Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances With Opioid Prescribing Rates.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2027951. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27951.Fallaize R, Dovey G, Woolf S.Prescription legibility: bigger might actually be better.Postgrad Med J. 2018;94(1117):617-620. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136010.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.National Provider Identifier Standard (NPI).Drug Enforcement Administration.Prescriptions Q&A.University of Minnesota.Prescription abbreviations.Minnesota.gov.Partial list of prescription abbreviations.American Medical Association.Patient rights.
Everson J, Cheng AK, Patrick SW, Dusetzina SB.Association of Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances With Opioid Prescribing Rates.JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Dec 1;3(12):e2027951. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.27951.
Fallaize R, Dovey G, Woolf S.Prescription legibility: bigger might actually be better.Postgrad Med J. 2018;94(1117):617-620. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136010.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.National Provider Identifier Standard (NPI).
Drug Enforcement Administration.Prescriptions Q&A.
University of Minnesota.Prescription abbreviations.
Minnesota.gov.Partial list of prescription abbreviations.
American Medical Association.Patient rights.
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