Meaning & use
PRN
A medical abbreviation, from the Latin 'pro re nata,' instructing that a medication be taken only when needed rather than on a fixed schedule.
See it in a sentence
The doctor prescribed the painkiller PRN, to be taken only if the pain became severe.
Her chart listed an anti-nausea medication PRN for use during chemotherapy sessions.
A note on using this word
PRN appears on prescriptions and hospital charts and should always include a maximum dose or frequency limit set by a doctor.
Words with a similar meaning
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