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Math: Basic Tutorials : Interpreting Drug Orders
Interpreting Drug Orders
Accurately interpreting drug orders and reading drug labels are critical skills for healthcare professionals to ensure clients receive the correct medication, in the right dosage, and through the proper route of administration. Drug orders provide essential information, such as drug name, dosage, frequency, route, and any special instructions. Drug labels, on the other hand, contain details about drug strength, concentration, expiration dates, and administration guidelines.
This section will guide you through the key components of both drug orders and drug labels, helping you understand common abbreviations and symbols used in prescriptions and labels. You’ll learn how to verify and interpret these orders and labels, ensuring clarity and preventing medication errors.
This section introduces common medical abbreviations used in drug orders—organized by frequency, dosage, route, IV fluids, and abbreviations to avoid. Click on each image to view it in full screen for easier reference.
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| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ac | before meal |
| pc | after meal |
| Ad lib | as desired; freely |
| min | minute |
| h (or) hr | hour |
| qh (or) qhr | every hour |
| qxh | every x hours (e.g. q8h) |
| BID | two times a day |
| TID | three times a day |
| QID | four times a day |
| prn | when necessary |
| stat | immediately |
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| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IM | intramuscular |
| IV | intravenous |
| IVP | intravenous push |
| IVPB | intravenous piggyback |
| SL | sublingual (under tongue) |
| PO | by mouth (orally) |
| ID | intradermal |
| SUBCUT | subcutaneous |
| INH | inhalation |
| GT | gastronomy tube |
| NG | nasogastric tube |
| NJ | nasojejunal tube |
| pr | by rectum |
| pr subcut | rectally subcutaneous |
| NPO | nothing by mouth |
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| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cap | capsule |
| tab | tablet |
| gtt | drop |
| mcg | microgram |
| mg | milligram |
| mL | millilitre |
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| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| NS or 0.9% NaCl | Normal Saline |
| LR or R/L | Lactated Ringer's |
| D5W | Dextrose 5% in Water |
| D10W | Dextrose 10% in Water |
| D5½NS or D5 0.45% NaCl | Dextrose 5% in Half Normal Saline |
| D5LR | Dextrose 5% in Lactated Ringer's |
| ID | intradermal |
| 3% NaCl | 3% Sodium Chloride |
| 5% NaCl | 5% Sodium Chloride |
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| Abbreviation | Recomended Replacement |
|---|---|
| U | use "unit" |
| IU | use "unit" |
| QD | use "daily" |
| QOD | use "every other day" |
| OD | use "every day" |
| D/C | use "discharge" |
| cc | use "mL" |
| µg | use "mcg" |
| @ | use "at" |
| > | use "greater than" |
| < | use "less than" |
| x.0 mg | use "x mg"; drop trailing zeros |
| .x mg | use "0.x mg"; always include leading zero |
Reading Drug Labels
This section provides a brief overview of how to read and interpret drug labels. The activity below highlights 8 key sections commonly found on a drug label. Click on each plus sign (+) to view specific details from this sample drug label and learn what to look for in each section to ensure safe and accurate medication administration.
Reading Drug Orders
Understanding the essential components of drug orders is key to safe and accurate medication administration. You'll often encounter common abbreviations, so knowing what they mean is critical. Explore the examples below to get familiar with how drug orders are written and interpreted in clinical practice.
Components of Drug/Medication orders
All of the following components must be present for a drug order to be valid. If any part is missing or unclear, the order must be clarified with the prescriber before administration. These elements ensure the safety, accuracy, and legality of medication administration:
- Patient's Full Name:Identifies who the medication is for.
- Date and Time of the Order:Establishes when the medication was ordered; important for documentation and timing (start and stop) of doses.
- Drug name:
- Name of the medication to be administered must be clearly written.
- May be ordered by generic or trade name. Since generic name must be on all medication labels, the prescriber may use generic name to avoid confusion.
- NOTE: Nurses must be familiar with both generic and trade name for medications.
- Dosage:Specifies the exact amount or strength of the drug (e.g., 500 mg, 2 units).
- Route of Administration:Indicates how the drug is to be given (e.g., oral, IV, subcutaneous, intramuscular).
- Frequency and Timing:How often the medication is to be administered (e.g., once daily, q6h, BID).
- Duration (if applicable):For short-term treatments or antibiotics (e.g., x 7 days).
- Health care Provider’s (MD or NP) Signature:Legally authorizes the order.
- Prescriber’s License Number (for prescriptions):Required for outpatient prescriptions.
- Refills (for outpatient prescriptions):Indicates how many times the medication can be refilled.
Examples
Click on the titles below to view each example of a potential drug order.
Morphine Sulfate 10 mg IM q4h prn for pain.
- Drug name: Morphine Sulfate
- Drug Amount: 10 mg
- Route: IM = intramuscularly
- Frequency: q4h = every four hours, prn = as needed for pain
Amoxicillin 500 mg PO q8h x 10 days
- Drug name: Amoxicillin
- Drug Amount: 500 mg
- Route: PO = 'orally' or 'by mouth'
- Frequency: q8h = every eight hours, for 10 days
Albuterol 2.5 mg inh TID
- Drug name: Albuterol
- Drug Amount: 2.5 mg
- Route: inh = inhalation
- Frequency: TID = three times a day
Drag & Drop Practice
In this drag & drop activity, match each nursing math abbreviation or term in the box on the right, with its correct meaning or full form from the chart on the right. Drag the correct option into place to test your understanding of common medication and measurement abbreviations used in nursing.
Disclaimer: The professional standards around safe medication practices and abbreviations are updated frequently by professional oversight bodies, including the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (https://ismpcanada.ca/resources/- opens in a new window). Please refer to your course instructors and course materials first for the correct conventions.