|
Abbreviation/Dose
Expression
|
Intended Meaning
|
Misinterpretation
|
Correction
|
|
Apothecary
symbols
|
dram
minim
|
Misunderstood
or misread (symbol for dram misread for “3” and minim misread as “mL”).
|
Use
the metric system.
|
|
AU
|
aurio
uterque (each ear)
|
Mistaken
for OU (oculo uterque—each eye).
|
Don’t
use this abbreviation.
|
|
D/C
|
discharge
discontinue
|
Premature
discontinuation of medications when D/C (intended to mean “discharge”) has
been misinterpreted as “discontinued” when followed by a list of drugs.
|
Use
“discharge” and “discontinue.”
|
Drug names
|
|
|
Use the complete spelling
for drug names.
|
|
ARAºA
|
vidarabine
|
cytarabineARAºC
|
|
|
AZT
|
zidovudine
(RETROVIR)
|
azathioprine
|
|
|
CPZ
|
COMPAZINE
(prochlorperazine)
|
chlorpromazine
|
|
|
DPT
|
DEMEROL-PHENERGAN-THORAZINE
|
diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus
(vaccine)
|
|
|
HCl
|
hydrochloric
acid
|
potassium
chloride (The “H” is misinterpreted as “K.”)
|
|
|
HCT
|
hydrocortisone
|
hydrochlorothiazide
|
|
|
HCTZ
|
hydrochlorothiazide
|
hydrocortisone
(seen as HCT250 mg)
|
|
|
MgSO4
|
magnesium
sulfate
|
morphine
sulfate
|
|
|
MSO4
|
morphine
sulfate
|
magnesium
sulfate
|
|
|
MTX
|
methotrexate
|
mitoxantrone
|
|
|
TAC
|
triamcinolone
|
tetracaine,
ADRENALIN,cocaine
|
|
|
ZnSO4
|
zinc
sulfate
|
morphine
sulfate
|
|
|
Abbreviation/Dose
Expression
|
Intended Meaning
|
Misinterpretation
|
Correction
|
Stemmed names
|
|
|
|
|
“Nitro”
drip
|
nitroglycerin
infusion
|
sodium
nitroprusside infusion
|
|
|
“Norflox”
|
norfloxacin
|
NORFLEX
|
|
|
m
g
|
microgram
|
Mistaken
for “mg” when handwritten.
|
Use
“mcg.”
|
|
o.d.
or OD
|
once
daily
|
Misinterpreted
as “right eye” (OD—oculus dexter)and administration of oral medications in
the eye.
|
Use
“daily.”
|
|
TIW
or tiw
|
three
times a week.
|
Mistaken
as “three times a day.”
|
Don’t
use this abbreviation.
|
|
per
os
|
orally
|
The
“os” can be mistaken for “left eye.”
|
Use
“PO,” “by mouth,” or “orally.”
|
|
Abbreviation/Dose Expression
|
Intended Meaning
|
Misinterpretation
|
Correction
|
|
q.d.
or QD
|
every
day
|
Mistaken
as q.i.d., especially if the period after the “q” or the tail of the “q” is
misunderstood as an “i.”
|
Use
“daily” or “every day.”
|
|
qn
|
nightly
or at bedtime
|
Misinterpreted
as “qh” (every hour).
|
Use
“nightly.”
|
|
qhs
|
nightly
at bedtime
|
Misread
as every hour.
|
Use
“nightly.”
|
|
q6PM,
etc.
|
every
evening at 6 PM
|
Misread
as every six hours.
|
Use
6 PM “nightly.”
|
|
q.o.d.
or QOD
|
every
other day
|
Misinterpreted
as “q.d.” (daily) or “q.i.d. (four times daily) if the “o” is poorly written.
|
Use
“every other day.”
|
|
sub
q
|
subcutaneous
|
The
“q” has been mistaken for “every” (e.g., one heparin dose ordered “sub q 2
hours before surgery” misunderstood as every 2 hours before surgery).
|
Use
“subcut.” or write “subcutaneous.”
|
|
SC
|
subcutaneous
|
Mistaken
for SL (sublingual).
|
Use
“subcut.” or write “subcutaneous.”
|
|
U
or u
|
unit
|
Read
as a zero (0) or a four (4), causing a 10‑fold overdose or greater (4U seen
as “40” or 4u seen as 44”).
|
“Unit”
has no acceptable abbreviation. Use “unit.”
|
|
IU
|
international
unit
|
Misread
as IV (intravenous).
|
Use
“units.”
|
|
cc
|
cubic
centimeters
|
Misread
as “U” (units).
|
Use
“mL.”
|
|
x3d
|
for
three days
|
Mistaken
for “three doses.”
|
Use
“for three days.”
|
|
BT
|
bedtime
|
Mistaken
as “BID” (twice daily).
|
Use
“hs.”
|
|
ss
|
sliding
scale (insulin) or ½ (apothecary)
|
Mistaken
for “55.”
|
Spell
out “sliding scale.” Use “one-half” or use “½.”
|
|
>
and <
|
greater
than and less than
|
Mistakenly used opposite of intended.
|
Use
“greater than” or “less than.”
|
|
/
(slash mark)
|
separates
two doses or indicates “per”
|
Misunderstood
as the number 1 (“25 unit/10 units” read as “110” units.
|
Do
not use a slash mark to separate doses.
Use “per.”
|
|
Name
letters and dose numbers run together
(e.g., Inderal40 mg)
|
Inderal
40 mg
|
Misread
as Inderal 140 mg.
|
Always
use space between drug name, dose and unit of measure.
|
|
Zero
after decimal point (1.0)
|
1
mg
|
Misread
as 10 mg if the decimal point is not seen.
|
Do
not use terminal zeros for doses expressed in whole numbers.
|
|
No
zero before decimal dose
(.5 mg)
|
0.5
mg
|
Misread
as 5 mg.
|
Always
use zero before a decimal when the dose is less than a
whole unit.
|