Error-Prone Abbreviations

IU

intended meaning: international units

mistaken as IV or the number 10

best practice: use unit(s) (international units can be expressed as units alone)

U/u

intended meaning: units

mistaken as zero or the number four causing a ten-fold overdose

mistaken as cc leading to administration in volume instead of units

best practice: use unit(s)

Q.D., QD, q.d., qd

intended meaning: every day

mistaken as q.i.d. especially if the period after the q or the tail of a handwritten q is misunderstood as the letter i

best practice: use daily

Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d., qod

intended meaning: every other day

mistaken as qd or qid especially if the o is poorly written

best practice: use every other day

MgSO4

intended meaning: magnesium sulfate

mistaken as morphine sulfate

best practice: use complete drug name

MSO4, MS

intended use: morphine sulfate

mistaken as magnesium sulfate

best practice: use complete drug name

lack of leading zero before a decimal point (.5 mg)

intended use: 0.5 mg

mistaken as 5 mg if the decimal is missed

best practice: use leading zero before decimal when the dose is less than one measurement unit

trailing zero after a decimal point (2.0 mg)

intended use: 2 mg

mistaken as 20 mg if the decimal is missed

best practice: do not use trailing zeros for doses expressed in whole numbers