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Medicine vocabulary · Prescriptions and Medication

PRN

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˌpiː ɑːr ˈen/abbreviationAdvanced term

In medicine, PRN means: Short for the Latin 'pro re nata', meaning 'as needed': a medicine given only when the patient needs it, not at fixed times.

In Turkish: gerektiğinde, lüzumu halinde, ihtiyaç halinde

How it is used

Written on drug charts and prescriptions with a maximum dose and a minimum interval: 'paracetamol 1 g PRN, max 4 g in 24 hours'. Nurses give PRN medicines for pain, nausea or agitation.

Example sentences

  1. She's written up for PRN morphine if the pain gets worse.

  2. How many PRN doses has he needed overnight?

Common collocations

  • PRN medication
  • PRN analgesia
  • written up PRN
  • as required
  • prescriptionA doctor's written or electronic instruction saying which medicine a patient should get, how much, how often and for how long.
  • analgesicA medicine that relieves pain, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or morphine; patients usually call it a painkiller.
  • doseThe amount of a medicine taken or given at one time, for example 500 mg, often stated together with how often it is taken.
  • twice dailyTaken or given two times every day, usually in the morning and evening; one of the standard ways of writing how often a medicine is used.
  • statImmediately and without delay; used in orders for a medicine, test or review that must happen right now.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Prescriptions and Medication

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.