Preventing miscommunication

 
Although abbreviations can save time, they also raise the risk of misinterpretation, which can lead to potentially disastrous consequences, especially when dealing with drug administration. To help reduce the risk of being misunderstood, always take the time to write legibly and to spell out anything that could be misread. This caution extends to how you write numbers as well as drug names and other drug-related instructions.

Dosages

For instance, when writing a drug dosage, never add a zero after a decimal point and never fail to add a zero before a decimal point. If you write 1.0 mg instead of the correct 1 mg, the dosage easily could be misread as 10 mg. Likewise, if you write .5 mg instead of the correct 0.5 mg, the dosage could be misread as 5 mg.

Drug names

Be careful with drug names as well. For instance, if you write MgSO₄ as shorthand for magnesium sulfate, you could be misread as meaning morphine sulfate. The opposite is also true; if you write MS or MS0₄, meaning morphine sulfate, you could be misread as meaning magnesium sulfate. Instead, make sure to clearly write out all drug names, particularly those that could be easily confused or could be dangerous if confused.

Common dangerous abbreviations

Finally, try to avoid these common—and dangerous—abbreviations.
 

Abbreviation	Intended use	Potential misreading	Preferred use
BT	bedtime	May be read as “bid” or twice daily.	Spell out “bedtime.”
cc	cubic centimeters	May be read as “u” or units.	Use milliliters, abbreviated as mL.
D/C	discharge or discontinue	May lead to premature discontinuation of drug therapy or premature discharge.	Spell out “discharge” or “discontinue.”
hs	bedtime	May be read as “half-strength.”	Spell out “bedtime.”
HS	half-strength	May be read as “bedtime.”	Spell out “half-strength.”
IJ	injection	May be read as “IV.”	Spell out “injection.”
IN	intranasal	May be read as “IM” or “IV.”	Spell out “intranasal” or use “NAS.”
IU	international unit	May be read as “IV” or “10.”	Spell out “international unit.”
mg	microgram	May be read as “mg.”	Use “mcg.”
o.d. or O.D.	once daily	May be read as “right eye.”	Spell out “once daily.”
per os	by mouth	May be read as “left eye.”	Use “PO” or spell out “orally.”
q1d	once daily	May be read as “qid.”	Spell out “daily.”
q.d. or QD	daily	May be read as “qid.”	Spell out “daily.”
qhs	every bedtime	May be read as “qhr” (every hour).	Spell out “nightly.”
qn	every night	May be read as “qh” (every hour).	Spell out “nightly” or “at bedtime.”
q.o.d. or QOD	every other day	May be read as “q.d.” (daily) or “q.i.d.” (four times daily).	Spell out “every other day.”
SC, SQ	subcutaneous	May be read as “SL” (sublingual) or “5 every."	Spell out “subcutaneous” or use “subcut” or “SubQ.”
U or u	unit	May be red as “0” (100 instead of 10U).	Spell out “unit.”
x7d	for 7 days	May be read as “for seven doses.”	Spell out “for 7 days.”
⁰	hour	May be read as a zero.	Spell out “hour” or use “hr.”

Comerford, K.C. & Durkin, M.T.  (2022). Nursing2022 drug handbook. (42nd edition.) Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.