Abbreviations and Symbols

Unacceptable 

Misinterpretation 

Acceptable 

AU, AS, AD 

Misinterpretation as the Latin abbreviation “OU: (both eyes), “OS” (left eye), OD (right eye) 

Write out “both ears”, “left ear”, “right ear”. 

cc 

Misread as “U” (units) 

Use “ml” 

DC 

Discharge, may be misinterpreted as discontinue medications 

Write out “discontinue’ or ‘discharge” 

(Lt)  

Write out “left” 

MS, MS04, MgS04 

Confused with one another.  Can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate 

Write out “morphine sulfate” or “magnesium sulfate” 

OD, OS, OU 

Misinterpreted as the Latin abbreviation “AU” (both ears, “AS” (left ear), “AD” (right ear) 

Write out “both eyes”, “left eye”, “right eye” 

Q.D., Q.O.D.  (qd, qod) 

Mistaken for each other.  The period after the Q can be mistaken for an “1” and the “o” can be mistaken for a “1” 

Write “daily” and “ every other day” 

qow 

Mistaken for qw 

Write out “every other week” 

rt 

Write out “right” 

TIW or tiw 

Mistaken as “three times a day” 

Use “three times a week” 

U or u 

Read as a zero (0) or a (4) causing a 10 fold overdose or greater 

Use “units” 

ug 

Mistaken for “mg” when handwritten 

Use “mcg” 

X3d 

Mistaken for “three doses” 

Use “for three days” or x3 days 

F.O.F. 

Not approved abbreviation 

Write out found on floor 

Q6pm 

Mistaken for every 6 hours 

Write out use nightly at 6pm 

H.S. 

Misread as half strength 

Write out bed time or half strength 

>    and   < 

Mistakenly uses opposite of intended 

Use “greater than” or “less than” 

Zero after decimal point (1.0mg) 

Misreads 10mg if decimal point is not seen 

Do not use terminal zeros for doses expressed in whole numbers 

No zero before decimal dose (.5mg) 

Misread as 5mg 

Always use zero before a decimal when the dose is less than a whole unit