Name: Prescription Writing 1
Creator: Leya Luhar
Keywords: Non-interactive, Prescribing

Report a problem

Share This Resource

Scenarios

Prescription Writing 1

By Leya Luhar • January 29, 2025 • Last reviewed: 29/07/2026 •

Ready to dive into this scenario?

Add to Favourites

Summary Intermediate

This is a non-interactive station.

You have 10 minutes for this station.

You are allowed access to the BNF.

Revision Topics

Be aware, this may reveal any answers!

Prescription legal requirements
Lower urinary tract infections
Prescribing in pregnancy

Student Instructions

You are a community pharmacist prescriber. A 28-year-old pregnant woman, Mrs Emily Johnson, born 6th July 1996, presents with symptoms of dysuria, urgency and frequency of urination. She denies any fever, pain or haematuria. She is currently in her third trimester (38 weeks) and has no significant medical history. She has eczema, which is controlled with topical emollients. She was taking folic acid 400mcg, but stopped taking it at 12 weeks gestation, but she is still taking vitamin D supplements. She has no known drug allergies.

Address: 50 Ocean Drive, OC5 6UD, Oceania, England

NHS number: 123 527 8490

You may indicate where you would write any information that has not been provided in the brief.

Prescribe an appropriate antibiotic for her UTI

Mark Scheme

Answers

0 / 2

Cefalexin

Nitrofurantoin is avoided in third trimester due to risk of haemolytic anaemia of the newborn baby, trimethoprim is contraindicated in pregnancy due to teratogenic risk

500 mg

Oral tablet - legally only ‘oral’ or ‘tablet’ is needed but best practice to include both

Take one tablet twice a day

For 7 days

Longer course of antibiotics prescribed as increased risk of developing complications

Correctly fills out the patient name and patient address

Correctly fills out the date as today’s date

Signs prescription in indelible ink

Writes prescriber’s particulars (including GMC/GPhC number) and prescriber address

DOB and age, NHS number are not legally required but are considered best practice

Mark 1

Amoxicillin

Nitrofurantoin is avoided in third trimester due to risk of haemolytic anaemia of the newborn baby, trimethoprim is contraindicated in pregnancy due to teratogenic risk

500mg

Oral capsule - legally only ‘oral’ or ‘capsule’ is needed but best practice to include both

Take one capsule three times a day

For 7 days

Longer course of antibiotics prescribed as increased risk of developing complications

Correctly fills out the patient name and patient address

Correctly fills out the date as today’s date

Signs prescription in indelible ink

Writes prescriber’s particulars (including GMC/GPhC number) and prescriber address

DOB and age, NHS number are not legally required but are considered best practice

Mark 1

Referral Criteria

A&E

Symptoms or Signs of Anaphylaxis:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Feeling tired or confused
- Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting
- Skin that feels cold to the touch
- Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet
Severe sytemic symptoms or signs suggestive of a possible serious or life-threatening complication such as pyelonephritis or sepsis
Clinical suspicion of impending labour
The patient is unable to tolerate or adhere to treatment in primary care

Urgent GP Appointment

Symptoms persist following course of antibiotics
Recurrent UTI - may require onward referral

References

Joint Formulary Committee (2026) 'Cefalexin', British National Formulary (online). Available at: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/cefalexin/ [Accessed: 26 July 2026]
NHS (2021) Anaphylaxis. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/ [Accessed: 26 July 2026]
NICE (2023) Urinary tract infection (lower) - women, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Available at: nice.org.uk [Accessed: 26 July 2026]

Ready to dive into this scenario?

Referral Criteria

We hope you enjoyed this free resource.

Did this scenario help you?

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Ready to dive into this scenario?

Oops, You Failed

Referral Criteria

We hope you enjoyed this free resource.

Did this scenario help you?

Subscribe to our newsletter