Introduction to

Dispensing
Pharmacy
By
Dr. Muhammad Akbar

Dispensing
Dispensing is an important part of the practice

of pharmacy, in which the pharmacist or the

pharmacy

technician

(under

the

direct

supervision of the pharmacist) interprets the

physician's requirements on the prescription and
accordingly supplies medicines for the treatment
of his patient (s).
This usually involves interpreting a written

prescription but may, on occasions, also include

taking instructions given by word of mouth or
by telephone from the physician.

The various activities involved in

Dispensing are
Receiving and confirming orders

Dispensing modules for good pharmacy practice

1. Dispensing environment
a) Prescription Counter
b) Waiting Area
c) Requirements of a good dispensing environment
d) Barriers, noise and distractions that can affect dispensing
2. Handling of Prescriptions
a) Receiving the prescription
b) Reading the prescription and checking for
A. Legality
B. Legibility
C. Completeness and correctness
3. Processing a prescription
a) Filling a prescription
b) Removal of medicines from shelves.
c) Assembling of medicines.
d) Billing.
e) Packing.
f) Refilling a prescription
4. Other aspects of dispensing
a) Dispensing errors
b) Role of pharmacists in promoting correct dispensing
c) Refusal to dispense prescriptions
d) Alternatives to conventional prescriptions.

DISPENSING ENVIRONMENT
1.1 Prescription counter
Ideally the prescription counter should:
Be accessible to the client
Preferably be separate and in a quite location. If

there are other separate sections (e.g cosmetics,

general items, OTC section), it should be slightly
away from them
Be calm. Orderly, attractive and marked with an

identifying sign or symbol which can be easily

identified and seen from other parts of the pharmacy.
A different color, appearance, demarcation etc may

be given to the prescription section, to provide added

emphasis.
Have a waiting area for clients who wait for their

prescriptions to be dispensed or filled

1.2 Waiting area

What should and ideal waiting area provide?
Comfortable chairs/place to sit (especially for

elderly/disabled/sick patients to rest).

Current

popular

health

magazines

and

carefully selected material to good health, to

keep the client busy/occupied and prevent
boredom while waiting to receive medicines.
Pamphlets and posters related to public, family

and

other

individual

health

problems

prominently displayed (as the waiting area

could be used as a health education center)

1.3 Requirements of a Good Dispensing

Environment
1. Be clean: To give a professional impression and outlook to the pharmacy.
2. Be organized: To provide for a safe and efficient working area. (Such that things are found

in the right place at the right times and there are minimum obstructions and hurdles).
3. Have sufficient space For easy movement of personnel in the pharmacy, and to prevent

congestion and physical contact among staff while working.

4. Temperature and humidity controlled As appropriate temperature and humidity are

necessary for stability of medicines till the expiry date.

5. No loud music playing, gossiping, talking, or television (e.g. a cricket match or a

movie) : To avoid distractions during dispensing.

6. Have medicines stored in an organized way on shelves in alphabetical order or using the

method normally employed in that particular pharmacy: To ensure quick, but safe
selection of the correct medicines from the shelves to minimize dispensing errors.
.BE CLEAN, GET ORGANISED!! GIVE THE PHARMACY A PROFESSIONAL LOOK

Maintaining a clean environment requires

A regular routine of cleaning shelves, medicines/products, and a daily cleaning of

floors. A regular schedule for checking, cleaning and defrosting the refrigerator.
Immediate wiping of accidental spills due to breakage, etc, during dispensing.
Activity 1: Prepare separate SOPs for cleaning the floor, shelves, refrigerator,

drawers etc. Each SOP should define the periodicity with which cleaning (of
each) should be carried out and also assign the responsibilities to the pharmacy
staff.
Activity 2: Prepare a work chart to be signed by the person doing the cleaning

and the person supervising, on the completion of work

Advantages of a good dispensing

enviroment
I. Reduces dispensing errors.
II. Reduces fatigue among pharmacy
staff.
III. Enhances services.
IV. Improves the image of pharmacy
V. Increases clients
Working in VI.
a clean
and an organized
Increases
speed.environment in a pharmacy, aids
a professional
in accuracyVII.Creates
while dispensing,
and also gives a image
professional look to the
pharmacy. Presence of a separate prescription counter and waiting
area can further Highlight professionalism and competence of the
pharmacist. Pharmacists handle medicines, and a slight dispensing
error could result in serious consequences i.e. health -wise for the
patient, and for the pharmacy a loss of reputation. Thus a good
dispensing environment is recommended for every pharmacy.

2) HANDLING
PRESCRIPTIONS
2.1

Receiving the Prescription

As clients come into the pharmacy, they must be made

to feel attended to and comfortable by :

Good
Friendly gestures.
mornig
madam!
A smile.
Can I help
you
Eye-to-eye contact.
A friendly welcome.
Courtesy. Feeling of caring .

2.2
Communication should be initiated in such a
manner that it encourages the client to convey
his/her needs by producing a prescription or by
asking for other products or advice

Upon receiving the prescription, the

pharmacist should confirm
Whether the client is the patient

himself or has come on the

patient's behalf.
The relation of the client with
the patient.
The client may politely be
requested to wait, while the
pharmacist
reviews
the
prescription for:
Legality

and completeness of
prescription.
Therapeutic aspects
Appropriateness for the individual

Excuse me
sir! Is this
your
medicine

No

For whom
medication
is
prescribed

It is
prescribed
for me

2.2 Reading the Prescription and Checking for

Completeness and Correctness
While reading and checking the

prescription,

the

pharmacist

Should
Be alert, and concentrate on the

prescription.
Not be distracted.
Not engage in talking or chatting.
Engage/

use his professional/

experience
prescription.

in

assessing

the

After receiving the prescription, it is important for the

pharmacist to read the prescription to verify whether

It is legal and complete with respect to the various parts of the

prescription, and therefore

It can be dispensed as such, or not.

Legality
A prescription is legal when :
It is written (can also be typed) by a R.M.P.
Signed by the R.M.P.
Has all the information required to be contained with respect to

parts of prescription

Legibility
Handwritten names of patients and medicines are often

difficult to read. In case of illegibility of name, age, etc,

ask the patient for the correct spelling tactfully. For
example the pharmacist may ask

Always use excuse me or please etc and be

polite

Excuse me
the first
name is
Jame or
Jane

Never dispense Guess work

Legibility is a problem requiring alertness and critical judgment on the part of the

pharmacist. Careless handwriting and similarity in spelling of names of different

drugs add to the difficulty.

Example of a Reading error:

Arlidin and Artidin - Due to illegible handwriting of doctors, Artidin could be read

as Arlidin. Artidin is a brand containing Diclofenac whereas Arlidin contains

Nylidrin two different drugs used for two different conditions. When handwriting is
illegible, the best thing to do is to contact the physician over the phone and confirm.
Remember, you are dealing with medicines and thus, the lives of patients so be sure

of what you are dispensing. Imagine the disastrous consequences of dispensing the
wrong medicine NEVER DISPENSE GUESS WORK

b) The dosage form, the dosage and the quantity to be

dispensed have to be legible so that dispensing becomes

easier for the pharmacist.
The instructions written for administration should state

clearly what the physician expects from the patient so that

the pharmacist can counsel the patients efficiently.
All terminology, including units of measures (metric,

apothecary or English) and Latin abbreviations should be

properly interpreted

Completeness and correctness

The prescription serves as a vehicle for communication from the licensed

practitioner to the pharmacist about the pharmaceutical care of the patient.

Details to be checked for
i) Physician's details.
ii) Patient's details.
iii) Check the product details

Checking the product details will include checking :

Name of the product.
Dosage form.
Strength/ potency of the medicine.
Total amount to be dispensed and its availability
Dosage and directions for use.

General dispensing procedure

1. Work on your own place.
2. Wear freshly laundered overall coat.
3. Provide yourself with a clean glass-cloth, a

duster and either sponge.

4. Work in a clean and tidy manner.
5. Read the prescription carefully, make sure
you understand it and that it is legally
correct.
6. If necessary, find out the formula of the
prescription in an appropriate source of
information.

7. Check the doses of internal preparations.

8. Find, from an appropriate source, if any

ingredient is a poison.
9. Conform that there are no pharmaceutical or
therapeutic
incompatibility
in
the
preparation.
10. if you are unsure of correct method of
preparation refer to your practical notebook.
11. Look up the storage conditions for the
preparations.
12. Work out the calculations.
13. Check the calculations.

14. Collect the correct container and closure.

15. If necessary, trim the label to fit the container but do not
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

remove the name of suppliers.

Write the main label and collect any special labels that
are required.
Make the preparation, pack it in the containers and
polish the label.
Check the label and fix them to the container.
Check the finished preparation.
Wrap the container and write the patients name and
address on the wrapper.
Make the appropriate records.