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Official "Do Not Use" List1
Do Not Use Potential Problem Use Instead_____________________________________________________________________ U (unit) Mistaken for "0" (zero), the Write "unit" number "4" (four) or "cc" _________________________________________________________________________________________ or the number 10 (ten)
________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d, qod Period after the Q mistaken for Write "every other day" (every other day) "I" and the "O" mistaken for "I" ____________________________________________________________________________ Trailing zero (X.0 mg)* Decimal point is missed Write X mg Lack of leading zero (.X mg) Write 0.X mg ___________________________________________________________________________ MS, MSO4 and MgSO4 Can mean morphine sulfate or Write "morphine sulfate" magnesium sulfate Write "magnesium sulfate"
Confused for one another
1 Applies to all orders and all medication-related documentation that is handwritten (including free-text computer entry) or on pre-printed forms.
*Exception: A "trailing zero" may be used only where required to demonstrate the level of precision of the value being reported, such as for laboratory results, imaging studies that report size of lesions, or catheter/tube sizes. It may not be used in medication orders or other medication-related documentation.
Additional Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols (For possible future inclusion in the Official "Do Not Use" List)
Do Not Use Potential Problem Use Instead _____________________________________________________________________
> (greater than) Misinterpreted as the number Write "greater than" < (less than) "7" (seven) or the letter "L" Write "less than" Confused for one another _____________________________________________________________________________ Abbreviations for drug names Misinterpreted due to similar Write drug names in full abbreviations for multiple drugs _____________________________________________________________________________ Apothecary units Unfamiliar to many Use metric units practitioners Confused with metric units _____________________________________________________________________________ @ Mistaken for the number Write "at" "2" (two) _____________________________________________________________________________ cc Mistaken for U (units) when Write "ml" or "milliliters" poorly written ____________________________________________________________________________ ug Mistaken for mg (milligrams) Write "mcg" or "micrograms" resulting in one thousand-fold overdose |
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