Abstract:
The word "prescription", from "pre-" ("before") and "script" ("writing, written"), refers to the fact that
the prescription is an order that must be written down before a drug can be dispensed. Prescription is a
written order by the prescriber to the dispenser on how the drug should be dispensed. It serves as a
means of communication among the prescriber, dispenser and drug consumer pertaining to treatment.
That is why doctors are legally obliged to write prescription clearly. However, most of the time
prescriptions are found to be unclear. Accordingly, the main objective of this survey study was to
investigate the factors that affect proper prescription writing in Jimma University specialized hospital.
In order to achieve the main objective, four specific objectives related to knowledge and perception on
importance of good prescription and consequences of sloppy prescription writing, the practice of good
prescription writing and other factors that affect the proper prescription writing were formulated. One
hundred (25%) of the physicians and 50(100%) of the pharmacists were included in the survey. In order
to select sample physicians, convenience sampling technique was employed. In order to collect data
from the sample, two instruments namely questionnaire and document analysis were used. The
collected data were analyzed using percentage and mean value. The result of the survey showed that
most of the physicians have knowledge on the importance of clear prescription writing and they
positively perceived that sloppy prescription writing has negative impact on both pharmacists and
patients. Nevertheless, the magnitude of writing clear prescription was low because 54.8% of the
sample prescriptions were proved to be illegible. Moreover, 70% of the pharmacists also reported that
physicians write clear prescription only some times. The major factors that affect the proper
prescription writing, according to the physicians, are shortage of time (69%), difficulty of some
medicine names to spell (80%) and lack of feedback from pharmacists (52%) on their (physicians’)
unclear prescription writing. Therefore, the university in collaboration with the hospital administrative
bodies, ministry of health and other concerned bodies should work to make the physicians responsible
and work cooperatively with pharmacists to alleviate the problem because illegible prescription may
pose a medical threat to the treatment of a patient.
