MEDICATION ROUTES & SITES

 

MEDICATION ROUTES & SITES

Abbreviation	Meaning	Latin Root
ID		Intradermal
IM		intramuscular
IU		International unit. (Note: can be mistaken for “IV” or “10”, spell out “international unit).
IV		Intravenous
IVP		Intravenous push
IVPB		Intravenous piggyback
PO	Per os	Orally or by mouth
p.r.	Per rectum	By rectum
SC, subc, subcut, subq, SQ		Subcutaneous
SL		Sublingually, under the tongue
supp	Suppositorium	Suppository
top		topical
vag		Vaginally

MEDICATION TYPES

Abbreviation	Meaning
D5W	Dextrose 5% solution (sometimes written as D5W)
D5NS	Dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%)
MgSO4	Magnesium sulfate
MS	Morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate
MSO4	Morphine sulfate
NS	Normal saline (0.9%)
½ NS	Half normal saline (0.45%)
RL,R/L	Ringer’s lactate
T.P.N.	Total perenteral nutrition

MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION & PLACEMENT

Abbreviation	Meaning	Latin Root
a.d.	Right ear	Auris dextra
a.l., a.s.	Left ear	Auris laeva, auris sinistra
a.u.	Both ears	Auris utraque
BUCC	Inside cheek	Bucca
c, c.	With (usually written with a bar on top of the “c”)	Cum
cc	With food	Cum cibo
cf	With food
agit	shake	Agita
e.m.p.	As directed	Ex modo prescripto
s.o.s., si op. sit	If there is a need	Si opus sit

MEDICATION TIMING

Abbreviation	Meaning	Latin Root
a.c.	Before meals	ante cibum
alt h.	Every other hour	Alternis horis
bis	Twice	Bis
b.d./b.i.d.	Twice daily	Bis in die
b.t.	Bedtime
h, hr	Hour	Hora
h.s.	At bedtime	Hora somni
noct.	At night	Nocte
p.c.	After meals	Post cibum
q	Every	Quaque
q.a.d.	Every other day	Quoque alternis die
q.d.s	Four times a day	Quarter die sumendus
q.h.	Every hour	Quaque hora
q.h.s.	Every night at bedtime	Quaque hora somni
q.1 h, q. 1	Every 1 hour; (can replace “1” with other numbers)	Quaque 1 hora
q.d., q.1d	Every day	Quaque die
q.i.d.	Four times a day	Quattuor in die
q.o.d.	Every other day
qqh	Every four hours	Quarter quaque hora
stat	Immediately	Statim
t.d.s.	Three times a day	Ter die sumendum
t.i.d.	Three times a day	Ter in die
X	Times