Medication-Related Abbreviations

ac

before meals

pc

after meals

ad lib

as desired

am

morning

pm

evening

BID

twice a day

TID

three times a day

c (with a bar over it)

with

s (with a bar over it)

without

fl oz

fluid ounces

g, gm, GM

gram

gr

grain

gtt

drop

hr

hour

Kg or kg

kilogram

KVO

keep vein open

L or l

liter

mEq

milliequivalent

mL

milliliter

NPO

nothing by mouth

OTC

over the counter

oz

ounce

PO or po

per oral (by mouth)

prn

as needed

STAT

at once

tab

tablet

IM

intramuscular

IV

intravenous

IVPB

intravenous piggyback

QD

daily (error-prone – write out “daily”)

QOD

every other day (error-prone – write out “every other day”)

qh

every hour (error-prone – avoid the Q abbreviations)

Qhs, HS, BT

hour of sleep (error-prone – write out “at bedtime”)

q6h

every 6 hours (error-prone – avoid the Q abbreviations)

QID

4 times a day (error-prone – write out “4 times daily”)

U, u, IU

unit (error-prone – write out “unit”, never abbreviate)

X3day

times 3 days (error-prone – write out clearly)

SC, SQ, subq

subcutaneous (error-prone – write out “subcutaneous”)

Inj

injection (error-prone)

cc

mL (error-prone – use mL instead of cc)

D/C, dc, d/c

discharge or discontinue (error-prone – write out fully, can be misread either way)

IN

intranasal (error-prone)

OJ

orange juice (error-prone – write out fully)

< or >

less than, greater than (error-prone – can be confused with each other; write out)

@

at (error-prone – write out “at”)

& or +

and (error-prone – write out “and”)

/

per (error-prone – can be misread as the number 1; write out “per”)

AD, AS, AU

right ear, left ear, both ears (error-prone – write out fully)

OD, OS, OU

right eye, left eye, both eyes (error-prone – write out fully)

HCTZ

hydrochlorothiazide (error-prone drug abbreviation – write out the full drug name)

µ or µg

mcg or microgram (error-prone – can be mistaken for “mg”/milligram; write out “mcg”)