The Joint Commission Do Not Use list includes which abbreviation for ordering or documenting medications?

The Joint Commission Do Not Use list includes which abbreviation for ordering or documenting medications?

• A. qd
• B. NPO
• C. Subling
• D. bid

Answer: (A)

Medical abbreviations are avoided when they can be misread and cause dosing errors. The abbreviation for daily dosing is flagged because it can be handwritten or read as q.i.d. (four times daily) or as qod (every other day) depending on handwriting or font. Such confusion can lead to a patient receiving a dose too often or not often enough. To prevent this, write out the frequency as “daily” or “every 24 hours” instead. Other terms like NPO, subling, and bid are not the Do Not Use abbreviation in this context and are commonly understood, though some settings prefer spelling them out for extra clarity.

Medical abbreviations are avoided when they can be misread and cause dosing errors. The abbreviation for daily dosing is flagged because it can be handwritten or read as q.i.d. (four times daily) or as qod (every other day) depending on handwriting or font. Such confusion can lead to a patient receiving a dose too often or not often enough. To prevent this, write out the frequency as “daily” or “every 24 hours” instead.

Other terms like NPO, subling, and bid are not the Do Not Use abbreviation in this context and are commonly understood, though some settings prefer spelling them out for extra clarity.