NTA Level 4 • Semester 1 • PST04101

Interpretation of Various Medical Symbols and Abbreviations in a Prescription

Dispensing • Source Session/Topic 3

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Session 3: Interpretation of Various Medical Symbols and Abbreviations in a

Prescription

Total Session Time: 120 minutes

Prerequisites

• None

Learning Tasks

By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:

• Explain the Overview of Prescription Abbreviations and Symbols

• Describe Various Medical Symbols and Abbreviations

• Interpret Different Medical Symbols and Abbreviations from Filled

Prescriptions

Resources Needed:

• Flip charts, marker pens, and masking tape

• Black/white board chalk and whiteboard markers

• Handout 3.1: Master List of Prescription Abbreviations

• Worksheet 3.1: Sample Filled Prescription Forms Serial No. 001-005

SESSION OVERVIEW

SESSION CONTENTS

STEP 1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5 minutes)

READ or ASK students to read the learning tasks and clarify

ASK students if they have any questions before continuing.

STEP 2: Overview of Prescription Symbols and Abbreviation (15 minutes)

• Abbreviations are shortened form of a word or name that is used in place

of the full word or name

• A symbol is a thing that represents or stands for something else,

especially a material object representing something abstract

• These abbreviations and symbols are Latin terms and they usually indicate

the route of drug administration and the frequency of dosing

• These abbreviations should be understood by the dispensers and are

internationally recognised

• In every prescription, prescribers use different medical abbreviations to

order medication to a patient

STEP 3: Various Medical Abbreviations (30 minutes)

|Activity: Buzzing (5minutes) |

| |

|ASK students to pair up and buzz on the following question for 3 |

|minutes |

| |

|What are the common medical symbols and abbreviations used in |

|prescription writing? |

| |

|ALLOW few pairs to respond on the question and let other pairs add on |

|points not mentioned WRITE their response on the flip chart/board |

| |

|CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below |

Table 1: Abbreviations and Symbols for Frequency of Dosing

| | | | |

| | | |n |

|I |One | |o.d. |once a day |

|Ii |Two | |b.i.d. |twice a day |

|Iii |Three | |t.i.d. |three times a |

| | | | |day |

|Iv |Four | |q.i.d. |four times a |

| | | | |day |

|5X |five times | |q.h.s. |everynight at |

|Rx |Take this | | | |

| | | |q.4h |every four |

| | | |q.6h |every six |

| | | |q.o.d |every other |

| | | |Prn |as needed |

| | | |gtt. |Drop |

| | | |a.c. |before meals |

| | | |p.c. |after meals |

Table 2: Abbreviations for Route of Drug Administration

|Abbreviation |Interpretation |

|p.o. |By mouth, orally (per oral) |

|SL |Sublingual, under the tongue |

|ID |Intradermal |

|IM |Intramuscular |

|IV |Intravenous |

|IV PB |Intravenous piggyback |

|SC |Subcutaneous. |

|GT |Gastrostomy tube |

|NJ |Naso-jejunal tube |

|p.r |Per rectum |

|p.v |Per vagina |

|O.D (RE) |Right eye |

|O.S (LE) |Left eye |

|O.U BE) |Both eyes |

|A.D |Right ear |

|A.S |Left ear |

|A.U |Both ears |

STEP 4: Interpreting Medical Abbreviations of Filled Prescriptions (60

minutes)

|Activity: Small Group Discussion ( 20 minutes) |

| |

|DIVIDE students into small manageable groups |

| |

|PROVIDE 5 different Sample Filled Prescription Forms to each group |

| |

|ASK students to discuss on the following question |

| |

|What are the interpretations of the abbreviations on the Sample |

|Prescription Forms? |

|REFER Students to Worksheet 3.1: Sample filled Prescriptions Forms |

|Serial No. 001-005 |

| |

|ALLOW students to discuss for 15 minutes |

| |

|ALLOW few groups to present and the rest to add points not mentioned |

| |

|CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using Master List of Prescription |

|Abbreviations Handout |

STEP 5: Key Points (5 minutes)

• Abbreviations in the prescriptions have been drawn from Greek and Latin

words. It is important to understand the interpretations of

abbreviations used in the prescription before dispensing

• In every prescription, prescribers use different medical abbreviations to

order medicines to a patient

STEP 6: Evaluation (5 minutes)

• What are the most common used abbreviations in medical prescriptions?

References

Bentley, A. O., & Rawlins, E. A. (1977). Bentley's textbook of

pharmaceutics (8th ed.). London, United Kingdom: Bailliere Tindall.

Cooper, J. W., Gunn, C., & Carter, S. J. (2008). Cooper and Gunn's

dispensing for pharmaceutical students (12th ed.). New Delhi, India:

CBS.

Rees, J. A., Smith, I., & Watson, J. Pharmaceutical practice (5th ed.).

London, United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone

Medical Terminology Abbreviations. Retrieved from

http://www.delmarlearning.com/companions/content/1401852467/student_resource

s/termabbrev.pdf.

Master List of Prescription Abbreviations. Every Patient’s Advocate.

Retrieved from

http://www.everypatientsadvocate.com/columns/prescriptionabbreviations.

pdf.

|[pic] |Handout 3.1: Master List of Prescription Abbreviations |

|Abbreviation |From the Latin |Meaning |

|Aa |Ana |of each |

|Ad |Ad |up to |

|a.c |ante cibum |before meals |

|a.d |aurio dextra |right ear |

|ad lib |ad libitum |use as much as one desires; freely |

|admov |Admove |Apply |

|Agit |Agita |stir/shake |

|alt. h |alternis horis |every other hour |

|a.m |ante meridiem |morning, before noon |

|Amp | |Ampule |

|Amt | |Amount |

|Aq |Aqua |Water |

|a.l., a.s |aurio laeva, aurio |left ear |

| |sinister | |

|A.T.C | |around the clock |

|a.u |auris utrae |both ears |

|Bis |Bis |Twice |

|b.i.d |bis in die |twice daily |

|B.M | |bowel movement |

|bol |Bolus |as a large single dose (usually |

| | |intravenously) |

|B.S | |blood sugar |

|B.S.A | |body surface areas |

|cap., caps |Capsula |Capsule |

|C |Cum |with (usually written with a bar on top |

| | |of the "c") |

|C |Cibos |Food |

|Cc |cum cibos |with food, (but also cubic centimetre) |

|Cf | |with food |

|comp | |Compound |

|cr., crm | |Cream |

|D5W | |dextrose 5% solution |

|D5NS | |dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%) |

|D.A.W | |dispense as written |

|dc, D/C, disc | |Discontinue |

|dieb. alt |diebus alternis |every other day |

|Dil | |Dilute |

| | | |

Master List of Prescription Abbreviations

|disp. | |Dispense |

|div. | |Divide |

|d.t.d. |dentur tales doses |give of such doses |

|D.W. | |distilled water |

|elix. | |Elixir |

|e.m.p. |ex modo prescripto |as directed |

|emuls. |Emulsum |Emulsion |

|ex aq |ex aqua |in water |

|fl., fld. | |Fluid |

|ft. |Fiat |make; let it be made |

|G | |Gram |

|Gr | |Grain |

|gtt(s) |gutta(e) |drop(s) |

|H | |Hypodermic |

|h, hr |Hora |Hour |

|h.s. |hora somni |at bedtime |

|ID | |Intradermal |

|IM | |intramuscular (with respect to |

| | |injections) |

|inj. |Injection |Injection |

|IP | |Intraperitoneal |

|IV | |Intravenous |

|IVP | |intravenous push |

|IVPB | |intravenous piggyback |

|L.A.S. | |label as such |

|LCD | |coal tar solution |

|Lin |Linimentum |Liniment |

|Liq |Liquor |Solution |

|lot. | |Lotion |

|M. |Misce |Mix |

|m, min |Minimum |a minimum |

|Mcg | |Microgram |

|mEq | |Milliequivalent |

|Mg | |Milligram |

|mist. |Mistura |Mix |

|Mitte |Mitte |Send |

| | | |

Page 2 of 4

Master List of Prescription Abbreviations

|mL | |Millilitre | |

|N.M.T. | |not more than | |

|NS | |normal saline (0.9%) | |

|1/2NS | |half normal saline (0.45%) | |

|N.T.E. | |not to exceed | |

|o_2 | |both eyes, sometimes written as o2 | |

|Oz | |Ounce | |

|Per |Per |by or through | |

|p.r. | |by rectum | |

|q.o.d. | |every other day | |

|R | |Rectal | |

| | |"s") | |

| | | | |

Master List of Prescription Abbreviations

| | | | |

|Sig | |write on label | |

|SL | |sublingually, under the tongue | |

|sit | | | |

|Tsp | |Teaspoon | |

|t.i.w. | |three times a week | |

|top. | |Topical | |

|T.P.N. | |total parenteral nutrition | |

|U.S.P. | |United States Pharmacopoeia | |

|Vag | |Vaginally | |

|W | |With | |

|w/o | |Without | |

|X | |Times | |

|[pic] |Worksheet 3.0: Sample Filled Prescription Forms Serial No. |

| |001-005 |

|Serial Na. 001 |

|KIHESA HEALTH CENTER |

|P.O. Box 56 |

|IRINGA |

|Name: |Ibrahim Kimongo |

|Gender: |M |

|Age: |39Yrs |

|Weight: |65kg |

|Rx |Paracetamol tabs 1g |

| |t.d.s 3/7 |

| |Metronidazole Tabs 480 |

| |mg tds 7/7 |

| |Clotrimazole cream p.a.a|

| |Bd x2/52 |

|Prescribe|Masige Kahwa Malimbo |

|r’s name |MO |

|qualifica| |

|tion | |

|Signature|[pic] |

|Serial Na. 002 |

|KIHESA HEALTH CENTER |

|P.O. Box 56 |

|IRINGA |

|Name: |Joyce Kamau |

|Gender: |F |

|Age: |18Yrs |

|Weight: |40kg |

|Rx |Miconazole cream 2% |

| |p.a.a b.i.d 4/52 |

| |Griseofulvin tabs 500 mg|

| |p.c od 3/12 |

| |Paracetamol Tabs 1g tds |

| |3/7 |

|Prescribe|Masige Kahwa Malimbo |

|r’s name |MO |

|qualifica| |

|tion | |

|Signature|[pic] |

|Serial Na. 003 |

|KIHESA HEALTH CENTER |

|P.O. Box 56 |

|IRINGA |

|Name: |Steven Nnyamayao |

|Gender: |Me |

|Age: |56Yrs |

|Weight: |74kg |

|Rx |Mebendazole tabs 500mg |

| |stat |

| |Phenytoin 10mg nocte OD x|

| |3/7 |

| | |

|Prescribe|Masige Kahwa Malimbo |

|r’s name |MO |

|qualifica| |

|tion | |

|Signature|[pic] |

|Serial Na. 004 |

|KIHESA HEALTH CENTER |

|P.O. Box 56 |

|IRINGA |

|Name: |Marystella Ndauka |

|Gender: |F |

|Age: |65Yrs |

|Weight: |80kg |

|Rx |Occu.l tetracycline |

| |oint. RE 6hrly 1/52 |

| |Paracetamol Tabs PO 1g |

| |tds 3/7 |

|Prescribe|Masige Kahwa Malimbo |

|r’s name |MO |

|qualifica| |

|tion | |

|Signature|[pic] |

|Serial Na. 005 |

|KIHESA HEALTH CENTER |

|P.O. Box 56 |

|IRINGA |

|Name: |Marium Abubakar |

|Gender: |Fe |

|Age: |4Yrs |

|Weight: |10kg |

|Rx |Metronidazole syrup 1 |

| |tsp tds 7/7 |

| |Paracetamol syrup 1tsp |

| |prn |

| | |

|Prescribe|Masige Kahwa Malimbo |

|r’s name |MO |

|qualifica| |

|tion | |

|Signature|[pic] |

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