Question

Prn' stands for?
1) without
2) immediately
3) as needed
4) 4 times a day

Answer 1

'prn' in a medical context stands for 'as needed', meaning the medication should be taken only when necessary, not according to a fixed schedule.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of medical prescriptions, 'prn' is an abbreviation derived from the Latin phrase ‘pro re nata,’ which means ‘as the situation demands.’ Therefore, 'prn' indicates that medication should be taken as needed. It is commonly used in medical prescriptions to instruct patients to use the medication only when they feel it is necessary, such as for pain or symptoms that are not constant. This contrasts with prescriptions with a defined schedule, such as those indicating to take medication ‘q8h’ (every 8 hours) or ‘qid’ (four times per day), where the medication must be taken regardless of symptoms.