Read through the ISMP’s Unsafe Abbreviation Guide. It’s more comprehensive than the Joint Commission’s and they overlap. Here are a few things you should know.
- You may use range orders according to your hospital protocol.
- PRN range orders must include a symptom. Pain PRN meds must include some type of scale. You shouldn’t have multiple meds for the same scale or indication without a reason (ie: one is IV and one is PO)
- If the patient can take PO and there are two meds for the same indication, PO is preferred.
- Don’t use:
- U – write unit
- IU – write international unit
- QD, QOD – write daily, every other day, etc.
- 2.0 – just write 2
- .3 – write 0.3
- MS, MS04, MgSO4 – write morphine, magnesium
- ug – write microgram
- HS – write bedtime or half-strength
- S.C or SQ – write sub-q or subcutaneously
- D/C – write discharge
- cc – write ml
- AS, AD, AU, OS, OD, OU – write right ear, left eye, etc
- > and < – write out less than or greater than
- / – write per