Pharmacy Abbreviations

affected area

aa

right ear

a.d.

left ear

a.s.

each ear

a.u.

intramuscular

IM

intravenous

IV

intravenous push

IVP

intravenous piggyback

IVPB

keep vein open

KVO

naso-gastric tube

n.g.t.

nothing by mouth

n.p.o.

nostril

nare

right eye

o.d.

left eye

o.s.

each eye

o.u.

by nebulizer

per neb

by mouth

p.o.

rectally

p.r.

vaginally

p.v.

subcutaneously

SC or SQ

sublingually (under the tongue)

S.L.

topically

top.

ampule

amp.

water

aq or aqua

capsule

caps

cream

cm or crm

elixir

elix.

liquid

liq.

solution

sol.

suppository

supp.

slow/extended release

SR, XR, or XL

syrup

syr.

tablet

tab.

ointment

ung. or oint

before food, before meals

a.c.

morning

a.m.

around the clock

atc

twice a day

b.i.d. or bid

twice a week

b.i.w. or biw

hour

h or °

at bedtime

h.s.

after food, after meals

p.c.

evening

p.m.

as needed

p.r.n. or prn

four times a day

q.i.d. or qid

each, every

q

every day

q.d.

every__hour(s) (i.e., q8h would be translated as every 8 hours)

qh or q°

every other day

qod

immediately

stat

three times a day

t.i.d. or tid

three times a week

t.i.w. or tiw

while awake

wa

to, up to

ad

add water up to

aq. ad

body surface area

BSA

cubic centimeter

cc

dilute

dil

fluid

f or fl.

fluid ounce

fl. oz.

gram

g, G, or gm

grain

gr.

drop(s)

gtt

liter

l or L

microgram

mcg or μg

milliequivalent

mEq

milligram

mg

milliliter

ml or mL

a sufficient quantity

q.s.

add a sufficient quantity to make

q.s. ad

one-half (commonly used with Roman numerals to add a value of 0.5)

ss

tablespoon

Tbs or T

teaspoon

tsp or t

unit

U

greater than

>

less than

<

with

c

dispense

disp.

nausea and vomiting

n/v

nebulizer

neb

no refills

NR

normal saline, normal saline solution

NS or NSS

without

s

write, label

Sig or S

shortness of breath

SOB

telephone order

T.O.

as directed

ut dict or u.d.

verbal order

V.O.