Do Not Use Abbreviations

Transcription

1 Do Not Use Abbreviations The Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP) and the Joint Commission (JACHO) have each developed a list of dangerous abbreviations. The list includes abbreviations considered to be dangerous because of the potential for misinterpretation. PPIC recommends that insureds follow the guidelines. An abbreviation on the 'do not use' list should not be used in any of its forms, upper or lower case, with or without periods. For example, if Q.D. is on your list, you can't use QD or qd. Any of those variations are confusing and can be misinterpreted. (JACHO) PPIC recommends that facilities using abbreviations for documentation purposes keep lists of approved and unapproved abbreviations at each documentation area. This compilation of do not use abbreviations, as defined by ISMP and JACHO, is current as of July PPIC encourages you to frequently check ISMP and JACHO websites for updates to the list ( and

2 Abbreviation or Symbol Intended Meaning Potential Problem or Misinterpretation U Unit Mistaken as zero, four, or cc IU International unit Mistaken as IV (intravenous) or 10 (ten) Trailing zero (X.0 mg), Lack of leading zero (.X mg) Decimal point is missed µg Microgram Mistaken for mg (milligrams) resulting in one thousand-fold dosing overdose H.S. Half-strength or Latin abbreviation for bedtime Mistaken for either half-strength or hour of sleep (at bedtime). q.h.s. Mistaken for every hour. S.C. or S.Q. Subcutaneous Mistaken as SL for sublingual, or 5 every D/C Discharge Interpreted as discontinue or whatever medications follow (typically discharge meds) Preferred Term or Correction Write "unit" Write "international unit" Never write a zero by itself after a decimal point (X mg), and always use a zero before a decimal point (0.X mg) Write "mcg" Write out "halfstrength" or "at bedtime" Write "Sub-Q," "subq," or "subcutaneously" Write "discharge" or discontinue

3 IJ Injection Mistaken as IV or intrajugular Write injection IN Intranasal Mistaken as IM or IV Write intranasal or NAS OJ Orange juice Mistaken as OD or O Write out orange juice Per os By mouth, orally Mistaken for left eye Use PO or by mouth or orally t/d One daily Mistaken as tid Use 1 daily c.c. or cc Cubic centimeter Mistaken for U (units) when poorly written Write "ml" for milliliters A.S., A.D., A.U. Latin abbreviation for left, right, or both ears Mistaken for OS, OD, OU, etc. Write "left ear," "right ear," or "both ears" Apothecary symbols such as: ƺ Ʒ m Ounce Dram Minim 3, m, ml, and others Use the metric system m g Microgram Mistaken for mg when handwritten o.d. or OD Once daily Misinterpreted as right eye (OD oculus dexter) and administration of oral medications in the eye TIW or tiw Three times a week Mistaken as three times a day q.d. or QD Every day Mistaken as q.i.d., especially if the period after the q or Use mcg Use daily Don t use this abbreviation, write out three times a week Use daily or every day

4 qn Nightly or at bedtime the tail of the q is mistaken for an i Misinterpreted as qh (every hour) qhs Nightly at bedtime Misread as every hour q6pm, etc. Every evening at 6 PM Misread as every six hours 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 x3d For three days Mistaken for three doses BT Bedtime Mistaken as BID (twice daily) ss SSRI SSI Sliding scale (insulin) or ½ (apothecary) Sliding scale regular insulin Sliding scale insulin > and < Greater than and less than / (Slash mark) Separates two doses or indicates per Mistaken for 55 Mistaken as selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Mistaken as strong solution of iodine (Lugol s) Mistakenly used opposite of intended Misunderstood as the number 1 ( 25 unit/10 units read as 110 units Use nightly Use nightly Use 6 PM nightly Use every other day Use for three days Write it out Spell out sliding scale. Use onehalf or use ½ Spell out sliding scale insulin Use greater than or less than Do not use a slash mark to separate doses - Use per

5 @ At Mistaken as 2 Use at & And Mistaken as 2 Use and + Plus or and Mistaken as 4 Use and o Hour Mistaken as zero Use hour, h, or hr Drug names Intended Meaning Misinterpretation Correction ARAºA Vidarabine CytarabineARAºC AZT CPZ DPT Zidovudine (retrovir) Compazine (prochlorperazine) Demerol- Phenergan- Thorazine Azathioprine Chlorpromazine Diphtheria-pertussistetanus (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 or MS Morphine sulfate Magnesium sulfate MTX Methotrexate Mitoxantrone

6 TAC Triamcinolone Tetracaine, ADRENALIN,cocaine ZnSO4 Zinc sulfate Morphine sulfate Nitro drip Nitroglycerin infusion Sodium nitroprusside infusion Norflox Norfloxacin NORFLEX IV Vanc DTO Intravenous vancomycin Diluted tincture of opium, or deodorized tincture of opium (Paregoric) Mistaken as Invanz Mistaken as tincture of opium PCA Procainamide Mistaken for patient controlled analgesia PTU Propylthiouracil Mistaken for meracptopurine T3 Tylenol with codeine #3 Mistaken for liothyronine TNK TNKase Mistaken for TPA