Download Dangerous abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols

SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER
During 2004 the Medication Variance Oversight Team and Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee reviewed a list of dangerous abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols. The Medical Executive
Committee subsequently approved the list. JCAHO has changed the required “Do Not Use” list,
and the upper table is SMC’s Official “Do Not Use” list*. The lower table lists recommended Do
Not Use abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols.
The following are Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols are not to be used.
Do Not Use
IU (for international unit)
U (for unit)
QD
QOD
(Latin abbreviations for once daily
& every other day)
Trailing zero (2.0 mg)
Potential Problem
Mistaken as IV (intravenous)
or 10 (ten)
Mistaken as zero, four, or cc
Mistaken for QD. The period
after the Q can be mistaken for
an “I” and the “O” can be
mistaken for an “I”
Decimal point is missed
Lack of leading zero (.2 mg)
MS
MSO4
MgSO4
Confused for one another. Can
mean morphine sulfate or
magnesium sulfate
Use Instead
Write “international unit”
Write “unit”
Write “daily“ or “every day”
and “every other day”
Never write a zero by itself
after a decimal point (2 mg),
and always use a zero before
a decimal point (0.2 mg)
Write morphine for “morphine
sulfate” or magnesium sulfate
for “mag sulfate”
*Applies to all orders and all medication-related documentation that is handwritten (including free-text
computer entry) or on pre-printed forms.
The following are Additional Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols
Discontinuance is recommended in medical records and on pre-printed forms.
Do Not Use
< (less than) and
> (greater than
Potential Problem
Symbol mistakenly used as
opposite of intended meaning
Abbreviations for drug names,
such as MTX (Methotrexate)
gr. (grain)
Misinterpreted due to similar
abbreviations for multiple drugs
Outdated; no drugs use this
designation
Mistaken for milligram
 (Greek letter mu for micro)
Use Instead
Spell out
“less than” and “greater
than” or
“above” and “below”
Write drug names in full
DO NOT USE
Use “mcg” or “micrograms”
References: JCAHO 2005 National Patient Safety Goal 2b
ISMP – List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations, November 27, 2003
Revised: July 2005
John Zarek, RPh 386-2330