Prescription writing quality in paediatric teaching hospitals in Khartoum.

This study was conducted to analyze the quality of prescription writing of doctors in outpatient departments of paediatric teaching hospitals in Khartoum. This study is a descriptive cross- sectional, prospective, hospital based study. Nine hundred paediatric prescriptions collected from three paediatric teaching hospitals were analyzed. Three hundred prescriptions were also collected from doctors after giving them a case scenario for which they were asked to write appropriate prescriptions. These prescriptions were also analyzed for their completeness. Inadequate writing of the sex of the patient, weight, and height were notable regarding patient information. Generic names, concentration of the drug and treatment duration of the drug were poorly mentioned. Designation and identification of the prescriber were not adequately mentioned. In the case scenario 65.3 % of doctors wrote low quality prescriptions. Registrars wrote better prescriptions than medical officers who wrote better than house officers. Outpatient department prescriptions were unsatisfactory due to lack of necessary information for the ideal prescription. Also doctors, in response to case scenario, wrote low quality prescriptions. To improve prescription writing skills, we suggest that hospitals should provide standard prescription forms that contain the necessary fields for identification of both, patient and doctor.