Ohio Pharmacy Law Practice Test

What two items must be placed on prescription containers that are too small for a complete label?

1. Prescription number and expiration date

2. Patient's name and prescription number

3. Doctor's name and medication name

4. Required cautionary statements

The correct answer is: Patient's name and prescription number

In pharmacy practice, when dealing with prescription containers that do not have enough space for a full label, it is crucial to prioritize the most essential information. The combination of the patient's name and the prescription number serves as vital identifiers. The patient's name is necessary to ensure that the medication is dispensed to the correct individual, thus preventing potential medication errors and ensuring patient safety. The prescription number is a unique identifier assigned to each medication order, which is essential for tracking, record-keeping, and verification purposes. These two elements work together to facilitate proper dispensing and patient monitoring. Other types of information, such as the doctor's name or medication name, while important, may not be as critical in their presence on a limited space container compared to identifying the patient and the specific order for that patient. Cautionary statements, although significant, do not replace the immediate need for identifiable patient information when space is constrained. Thus, placing the patient's name along with the prescription number is the most appropriate approach in these circumstances.