South Carolina Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) Practice Exam

When should a prescriber’s authorization be documented on a prescription?

1. Whenever there is a change in dosage

2. For emergency dispensations

3. When any brand medication is prescribed

4. For every scheduled refill

The correct answer is: For emergency dispensations

A prescriber’s authorization should indeed be documented on a prescription for emergency dispensations. This is important because emergency situations often require immediate action, and having a documented authorization ensures that the pharmacy has the proper consent to dispense medication in those urgent circumstances. In such cases, the prescriber may not be able to provide a written prescription ahead of time, and it’s crucial for the pharmacy to have a mechanism to validate the emergency need for the medication. This documentation helps safeguard against any legal or regulatory issues that may arise from dispensing medication without proper authorization, as it provides a record that the prescriber agreed to the treatment in a time-sensitive situation. While changes in dosage, prescribing brand medications, and refills are also important considerations in pharmacy practice, they follow different protocols that may not require specific documentation of authorization on the prescription itself in the same way that emergency dispensations do.