A drug is prescribed to a patient by writing a drug order or medical prescription. A drug order specifies, among other things, the name of the drug, the dose amount, the route of administration, and how often and when it should be taken. There are four types of drug orders. These are routine orders, one-time orders, PRN orders and STAT orders. There are also standing orders or protocols. There are five right actions to take when giving medications. These are to give the right patient the right drug, in the right dose, at the right time, by the right route. Patients also have the right to refuse medication and the right to education about the medication. Today we will talk about the types of drug orders further….
Routine orders – This is an ongoing order given for a specific number of doses or number of days.
One Time Order – This is a single dose given at a particular time.
PRN – This is an order to give a medication if specific criteria exist, such as a headache, a fever, or pain and is given at the patient’s request.
STAT – This is a single dose order to give at once or immediately.
There are also protocols for administering medications. This is a set of criteria that indicates under what conditions a drug may be given. There are two types of protocols: standing orders or flow diagrams. Standing orders are an officially accepted sets of orders to be applied by nurses, physician assistants, and paramedics in the care of patients with certain conditions or under certain circumstances.
