Q.H.S. Pharmacy Abbreviation isMeaning, uses, examples, and more
Have you ever wondered what medical abbreviations mean on a prescription?How do you interpret prescription directions written in code?It is the responsibility of the pharmacy to put the medical abbreviation on the medication label.There may be more to know about this shorthand.
A common source of confusion for healthcare providers is prescription abbreviations, like the ones you might see written by your doctor on your prescription or a hospital medication order.One of the most common causes of medication errors is an unclear, poorly written or wrong medical abbreviation.abbreviations can increase the risk for incorrect interpretation and should be used with caution in the healthcare setting
The FDA, The Joint Commisssion, and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices have made it a priority to communicate information about confusing abbreviations.Health care facilities and practitioners are expected to take action and set internal standards to prevent medical errors.
The abbreviations, prescription symbols, and dose designation can still be confusing and can lead to mistakes.Extra time must be spent by healthcare providers trying to clarify the meanings of abbreviations, which can delay treatments.Poor penmanship and lack of standardization were the root causes of many prescription errors.E-prescribing, electronic medical records, and computerized physician order entry have helped to lower the rates of medical errors.Medical errors and possible patient harm can be caused by discrepancies between structured and free-text fields in electronic prescriptions.
Drug names can be abbreviated.Drug name abbreviations can be used for complicated treatment regimen, like cancer treatment protocols or combination HIV regimen.According to the FDA, a prescription with the abbreviation "MTX" has been interpreted as both methotrexate and a cancer drug.Severe patient harm can be linked to these types of errors.
The numbers can be misinterpreted.According to the Joint Commission's Do Not Use List, a trailing zero can be misinterpreted and lead to a 10-fold overdose.The prescriber should write the number in a different way.The lack of a leading zero can be seen as a weakness, so the prescriber should write out a stronger number.
There is an exception to the Trailing Zero warning.In order to demonstrate the level of precision of the value being reported, a trailing zero may be used.It may not be used in medication orders.
There is no standard for the terminology used for modified-release types of technology for prescription drugs.Many drugs exist in tablets or capsule form to slow absorption or alter absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.Timed-release technology allows drugs to be dissolved over time, allows more steady blood concentrations of drugs, and can lower the number of times a drug must be taken per day.Enteric-coated aspirin helps to protect the stomach by allowing the active ingredient to be dissolved in the gut.The table has abbreviations for timed-release technology.
The abbreviations used in medical practice and in prescription writing should be familiar to all practitioners.Drug names, dosage units, and directions should be written clearly.
Teams that develop or evaluate e-prescribing tools should include pharmacists.According to the Joint Commission, health care organizations can develop their own internal standards for medical abbreviations, use a published reference source with consistent terms, and ensure to avoid multiple abbreviations for the same word.Consistency and internal enforcement are the key.
To ensure the information on this page applies to your personal circumstances, always consult your healthcare provider.