- Source: http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/dnu_list.pdf
Official “Do Not Use” List1
Do Not Use
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Potential Problem
|
Use Instead
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U, u (unit)
|
Mistaken for “0” (zero), the number “4” (four) or “cc”
|
Write "unit"
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IU (International Unit)
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Mistaken for IV (intravenous) or the number 10 (ten)
|
Write "International Unit"
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Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily)
Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d, qod
(every other day)
|
Mistaken for each other
Period after the Q mistaken for "I" and the "O" mistaken for "I
|
Write "daily"
Write "every other day"
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Trailing zero (X.0 mg)*
Lack of leading zero (.X mg)
|
Decimal point is missed
|
Write X mg
Write 0.X mg
|
MS
MSO4 and MgSO4
|
Can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate
Confused for one another
|
Write "morphine sulfate"
Write "magnesium sulfate"
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1 Applies to all orders and all medication-related documentation that is handwritten (including free-text computer entry) or on pre-printed forms.
*Exception: A “trailing zero” may be used only where required to demonstrate the level of precision of the value being reported, such as for laboratory results, imaging studies that report size of lesions, or catheter/tube sizes. It may not be used in medication orders or other medication-related documentation.
Other “Not To Be Used” Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols
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Abbreviations
|
Potential Problem
|
Preferred Item
|
μg
|
Mistaken for mg
(milligrams) resulting in
one thousandfold
dosing overdose.
|
Write “mcg”
|
H.S.
(for half-strength or Latin abbreviation for bedtime) |
Mistaken for either
halfstrength or hour of
sleep (at bedtime).
q.H.S. mistaken for
every hour. All can
result in a dosing error.
|
Write out “half-strength”
or “at bedtime”
|
T.I.W.
(for three times a week) |
Mistaken for three
times a day or twice
weekly resulting in an
overdose.
|
Write “3 times weekly”
or “three times weekly”
|
S.C. or S.Q.
(for subcutaneous) |
Mistaken for SL for
sublingual, or “5 every”.
|
Write “Sub-Q”, “subQ”,
or subcutaneously
|
D/C
(for discharge) |
Interpreted as
discontinue whatever
medications follow
(typically discharge
meds).
|
Write “discharge”
|
c.c.
(for cubic centimeter) |
Mistaken for U (units)
when poorly written.
|
Write “ml” for milliliters
|
A.S., A.D., A.U.
(Latin abbreviation for left, right, or both ears) O.S., O.D., O.U. (Latin abbreviation for left, right, or both eyes) |
Mistaken for each other
(e.g., AS for OS, AD for
OD, AU for OU, etc.)
|
Write “left ear,” “right
ear” or “both ears;” “left
eye,” “right eye,” or
“both eyes”
|
> and <
|
Mistakenly used
opposite of intended
|
Use “greater than” or
“less than”
|
/ (slash mark)
|
Misunderstood as the
number 1 (“25 unit/10
units” read as “110"
units.
|
Do not use a slash
mark to separate
doses. Use “per.”
|
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