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Prescription Lingo

Abbreviations and Meanings of Prescription Wordage

Question	Answer
ac	Before Meals. -- Sample Time- 7:30 am, 11:30 am, 4:30 pm
pc	After Meals. -- Sample Time- 10 am, 2 pm. 6 pm
daily	Every Day, Daily
q.d. or qd	DO NOT USE!!! every day, daily
bid	Twice a day
tid	Three times a day
qid	Four times a day
qh How many times is this med given?	Every Hour. --This med will be given 24 times in one day.
at bedtime	At bedtime, hour of sleep. --Sample Time- 10 pm
hs or h.s.	DO NOT USE!!! at bed time, hour of sleep
qn	Every Night
stat	Immediately, Now!
q2h or q2°How many times is this med given?	Every 2 hours. --This med will be given 12 times in a 24 hour period.
q4h or q4°How many times is this med given?	Every 4 hours. --This med will be given 6 times in a 24 hour period.
q6h or q6°How many times is this med given?	Every 6 hours. --This med will be given 4 times in a 24 hour period.
q8h or q8°How many times is this med given?	Every 8 hours. --This med will be given 3 times in a 24 hour period. Ex: 6 am, 2 pm, 10 pm
q12h or q12°	Every 12 hours. --This med will be given 2 times in a 24 hour period.Ex: 6 am and 6 pm
every other day	Every other day.--Interpreted by days of the month- nurse writes on medication record: odd days of the month
qod or q.o.d	DO NOT USE!!! Every other day
prn	As Needed.--This abbreviation is usually combined with a time abbreviation.
3 times weekly	Three times per week.--With this abbreviation time relates to days of the week.
tiw or t.i.w.	DO NOT USE!!! Three times per week. Consfused with tid- three times per DAY.
biw	Twice per week.-- Sample Time: 10 am on Monday, Thursday
12 Midnight	0000 - Military Time
5 AM	0500
7:30 AM	0730
11:45 AM	1145
12:00 Noon	1200
1 PM	1300
2:30 PM	1430
11:59 PM	2359
Right Ear	Do Not Use: AD!!! Write out
Left Ear	Do Not Use: AL!!! Write out
Each Ear	Do Not Use: AU!!! Write out
HHN	Hand- held nebulizer: Medication is placed in a device that produces a fine spray for inhalation
IM	Intramuscularly: The injection is given at a 90° angle into a muscle.
IV	Intravenously: The injection is given into a vein.
IVP	Intravenous push: Medication is injected directly in a vein.
IVPB	Intravenous piggyback: Medication prepared in a small volume of fluid is attached to an IV (which is already infusing fluid into a patient's vein) at specified times.
MDI	Metered- dose inhaler: An aerosol device delivers medication by inhalation.
NEB	Nebulizer- Medication is placed in a device that produces a fine spray for inhalations.
NGT (ng)	Nasogastric tube- Medication is placed in the stomach through a tube in the nose.
In the Right Eye	Do Not Use: OD!!! WRITE OUT
In the Left Eye	Do Not Use: OS!!! WRITE OUT
In Both Eyes	Do Not Use: OU!!! WRITE OUT
po (PO)	By Mouth
pr (PR)	In the rectum (per rectum)
Sub-Q or Sub Q	Subcutaneously; Do Not Use: sc sq/s.c. s.q.!!!
SL	Sublingual, under the tongue
S & S	Swish and Swallow- By using tongue and cheek muscles, the patient coats his/her mouth with a liquid medication.
cc	cubic centimeter- this is a measure of volume usually reserved for measuring gases. However, may still find it used as a liquid measure. (1 cc approx = 16 drops from a medicine dropper). DO NOT USE "substitute mL", although they are equal.
g (gm, Gm)	Gram- solid measure of weight
kg (Kg)	Kilogram- weight measure (1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds)
L	Liter- liquid measure (1 liter is a little more than a quart)
mcg	Microgram- measure of weight (1,000 micrograms = 1 milligrams [mg]) DO NOT USE "µg"
mEq	Milliequivalent- no equivalent necessary. Drugs are preapered and ordered in this weight measure
mg	Milligram- measure of weight (1,000 milligrams = 1 gram [g])
mL (ml)	Milliliter- liquid measure. The terms cubic centimeter (cc) and militer are interchangeable in dosage. (1 cc = 1 milliliter).
unit	Do Not Use: U. This is a measure of a biologic activity. Nurses do not calculate this measure.
Apothecary Measures: Why discouraged?	Common in the US during colonial times. Discouraged from use due to: 1. Equivalency with metric system is not exact. 2. System requires Roman numerals and fractions 3. Apothecary symbols can easily be misinterpreted
m	minim- apothecary measure, found on some syringes. 16 Minim= 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
dr	dram- apothecary measure for liquids. 1 dram= 4 mL.
gr	grain- apothecary measure. Generally, 60 mg = 1 grain, EXCEPT acetaminophen (Tylenol) and aspirin: 65 mg = 1 grain. Should be written out "grain".
gtt	drop- apothecary measure for liquids; used for ordering eye medications. 1 drop= 1 m
i	This letter indicated "one" in Roman numerals, which are conveyed by letters of the alphabet. Roman numerals nerver have more than three of the same digit in a row.
pt	Pint: 1 pint =500 mL, 1 quart= 1 L= 100 mL
qt	Quart: 1/2 quart = 1 pt= 500 mL
tbsp	Tablespoon: 1 tablespoon = 15 mL
tsp	Teaspoon: 1 teaspoon = 5 mL
oz	Ounce: 1 ounce = 30 mL
cap, caps	Capsule: medications is encased in a gelatin shell
CR	Controlled Release
LA	Long Acting
SA	Sustained Action
SR	Slow Release
DS	Double Strength
EC	Enteric Coated - tablet coated with a substance that will not dissolve in the acid secretions of the stomachl instead it dissolves in the more alkaline secretions of the intestines.
el, elix	Elixir- drug is dissolved in hydroalcoholic sweetend base.
sol	Solution- drug is contained in a clear liquid preparation.
sp	Spirit- an alcholic solution of a volatile sunbstance
sup, supp	Suppository- this is a solid, cylindrically shaped drug that can be inserted into a body opening
susp	Suspension- small particles of a drug are dispersed in a liquid base and must be shaken before being poured; gels and magmas are also suspensions.
syr	Syrup- sugar is dissolved in a liquid medication and flavored to disguise the taste.
tab, tabs	Tablet- med is compressed or molded into a solid form; additional ingredients are used to shape
unit	Do Not Use: U. This is a measure of a biologic activity. Nurses do not calculate this measure.
Apothecary Measures: Why discouraged?	Common in the US during colonial times. Discouraged from use due to: 1. Equivalency with metric system is not exact. 2. System requires Roman numerals and fractions 3. Apothecary symbols can easily be misinterpreted
m	minim- apothecary measure, found on some syringes. 16 Minim= 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
dr	dram- apothecary measure for liquids. 1 dram= 4 mL.
gr	grain- apothecary measure. Generally, 60 mg = 1 grain, EXCEPT acetaminophen (Tylenol) and aspirin: 65 mg = 1 grain. Should be written out "grain".
gtt	drop- apothecary measure for liquids; used for ordering eye medications. 1 drop= 1 m
i	This letter indicated "one" in Roman numerals, which are conveyed by letters of the alphabet. Roman numerals nerver have more than three of the same digit in a row.
pt	Pint: 1 pint =500 mL, 1 quart= 1 L= 100 mL
qt	Quart: 1/2 quart = 1 pt= 500 mL
tbsp	Tablespoon: 1 tablespoon = 15 mL
tsp	Teaspoon: 1 teaspoon = 5 mL
oz	Ounce: 1 ounce = 30 mL
cap, caps	Capsule: medications is encased in a gelatin shell
CR	Controlled Release
LA	Long Acting
SA	Sustained Action
SR	Slow Release
DS	Double Strength
EC	Enteric Coated - tablet coated with a substance that will not dissolve in the acid secretions of the stomachl instead it dissolves in the more alkaline secretions of the intestines.
el, elix	Elixir- drug is dissolved in hydroalcoholic sweetend base.
sol	Solution- drug is contained in a clear liquid preparation.
sp	Spirit- an alcholic solution of a volatile sunbstance
sup, supp	Suppository- this is a solid, cylindrically shaped drug that can be inserted into a body opening
susp	Suspension- small particles of a drug are dispersed in a liquid base and must be shaken before being poured; gels and magmas are also suspensions.
syr	Syrup- sugar is dissolved in a liquid medication and flavored to disguise the taste.
tab, tabs	Tablet- med is compressed or molded into a solid form; additional ingredients are used to shape and color the tablet.
unit	Do Not Use: U. This is a measure of a biologic activity. Nurses do not calculate this measure.
Apothecary Measures: Why discouraged?	Common in the US during colonial times. Discouraged from use due to: 1. Equivalency with metric system is not exact. 2. System requires Roman numerals and fractions 3. Apothecary symbols can easily be misinterpreted
m	minim- apothecary measure, found on some syringes. 16 Minim= 1 cubic centimeter (cc)
dr	dram- apothecary measure for liquids. 1 dram= 4 mL.
gr	grain- apothecary measure. Generally, 60 mg = 1 grain, EXCEPT acetaminophen (Tylenol) and aspirin: 65 mg = 1 grain. Should be written out "grain".
gtt	drop- apothecary measure for liquids; used for ordering eye medications. 1 drop= 1 m
i	This letter indicated "one" in Roman numerals, which are conveyed by letters of the alphabet. Roman numerals nerver have more than three of the same digit in a row.
pt	Pint: 1 pint =500 mL, 1 quart= 1 L= 100 mL
qt	Quart: 1/2 quart = 1 pt= 500 mL
tbsp	Tablespoon: 1 tablespoon = 15 mL
tsp	Teaspoon: 1 teaspoon = 5 mL
oz	Ounce: 1 ounce = 30 mL
cap, caps	Capsule: medications is encased in a gelatin shell
CR	Controlled Release
LA	Long Acting
SA	Sustained Action
SR	Slow Release
DS	Double Strength
EC	Enteric Coated - tablet coated with a substance that will not dissolve in the acid secretions of the stomachl instead it dissolves in the more alkaline secretions of the intestines.
el, elix	Elixir- drug is dissolved in hydroalcoholic sweetend base.
sol	Solution- drug is contained in a clear liquid preparation.
sp	Spirit- an alcholic solution of a volatile sunbstance
sup, supp	Suppository- this is a solid, cylindrically shaped drug that can be inserted into a body opening
susp	Suspension- small particles of a drug are dispersed in a liquid base and must be shaken before being poured; gels and magmas are also suspensions.
syr	Syrup- sugar is dissolved in a liquid medication and flavored to disguise the taste.
tab, tabs	Tablet- med is compressed or molded into a solid form; additional ingredients are used to shape and color the tablet.
tr, tinct	Tincture- this is a liquid alcoholic orr hydroalcoholic solution of a drug.
ung, oint.	Ointment- this is a semisolid drug preparation that is applied to the skin (for external use ONLY).
KVO	Keep Vein Open; example order: 1000 mL dextrose 5% in water IV KVO. The nurse is to continue infusing this fluid.
TKO	To Keep Open
Discontinue	Discontinue- DO NOT USE D/C
NKA	No Known Allergie- this is an important assessment that is noted on the medication record of a patient.
NKDA	No Know Drug Allergies- this is an important assessment that is noted on the medication record of a patient.

Created by: nicole4rc

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