TPA or r-TPA tissue plasminogen activator, alteplase MgSO4 magnesium sulfate KCl potassium chloride MTX methotrexate 6-MP mercaptopurine AZA azathioprine NaCl, saline, NS sodium chloride, sodium chloride 0.9% ½ NS sodium chloride 0.45% NaHCO3 sodium bicarbonate G5W 5% glucose in water ISMN isosorbide mononitrate Use metric units. Use metric units such as or rather than Imperial or ‘gram’ ‘mL’ other measurements. Clearly separate different elements of the Do not include the salt of the chemical medicine order. Ensure letters do not appear to flow into the numbers unless it is clinically significant. that follow. For example, mofetil’ or ‘mycophenolate Use a leading zero in front of a decimal sodium’ are examples of ‘mycophenolate point for a dose less than 1. Do not use that are clinically significant. Where a a decimal point without a leading salt is part of the name, it should follow the ‘naked’ zero; for example, use not ‘0.5’ ‘.5’. medicine name and not precede it. Do not use trailing zeros. For example, use Use National Tall Man Lettering[13] for not for doses of medicines ‘5’ ‘5.0’ sound-alike’ medicines. ‘look-alike, expressed in whole numbers This should be done for medicines known Exception: While the recording of pathology to cause confusion for medicine orders that or laboratory results is out of the scope of are digitally generated and printed. this document, it is acknowledged that a Dose zero’ may be used to express the ‘trailing level of precision of the reported value (e.g. Use words or Hindu-arabic numbers. where blood levels are reported on Use 1, 2, 3 etc., preferably followed by the the chart). unit of measure, i.e. tab/tablet’, puffs’, ‘1 ‘2 caps/capsules’. ‘3 Do not use Roman numerals. Do not Do not follow abbreviations such as ‘mg’ use to mean two, for three, or with a decimal point or full stop ‘ii’ ‘iii’ ‘v’ ‘mL’ for five etc. (‘mg.’ or This can be mistaken as ‘mL.’). the number 1 if written poorly.
TPA or r-TPA tissue plasminogen activator, alteplase MgSO4 magnesium sulfate KCl potassium chloride MTX methotrexate 6-MP mercaptopurine AZA azathioprine NaCl, saline, NS sodium chloride, sodium chloride 0.9% ½ NS sodium chloride 0.45% NaHCO3 sodium bicarbonate G5W 5% glucose in water ISMN isosorbide mononitrate Do not include the salt of the chemical unless it is clinically significant. For example, ‘mycophenolate mofetil’ or ‘mycophenolate sodium’ are examples of that are clinically significant. Where a salt is part of the name, it should follow the medicine name and not precede it. Use National Tall Man Lettering[13] for ‘look-alike, sound-alike’ medicines. This should be done for medicines known to cause confusion for medicine orders that are digitally generated and printed. Dose Use words or Hindu-arabic numbers. Use 1, 2, 3 etc., preferably followed by the unit of measure, i.e. ‘1 tab/tablet’, ‘2 puffs’, ‘3 caps/capsules’. Do not use Roman numerals. Do not use ‘ii’ to mean two, ‘iii’ for three, ‘v’ for five etc. Use metric units. Use metric units such as ‘gram’ or ‘mL’ rather than Imperial or other measurements. Clearly separate different elements of the medicine order. Ensure letters do not appear to flow into the numbers that follow. Use a leading zero in front of a decimal point for a dose less than 1. Do not use a ‘naked’ decimal point without a leading zero; for example, use ‘0.5’ not ‘.5’. Do not use trailing zeros. For example, use ‘5’ not ‘5.0’ for doses of medicines expressed in whole numbers Exception: While the recording of pathology or laboratory results is out of the scope of this document, it is acknowledged that a ‘trailing zero’ may be used to express the level of precision of the reported value (e.g. where blood levels are reported on the chart). Do not follow abbreviations such as ‘mg’ or ‘mL’ with a decimal point or full stop (‘mg.’ or ‘mL.’). This can be mistaken as the number 1 if written poorly.
Recommendations-for-terminology-abbreviations-and-symbols-used-in-medicines-documentation-December-2016.docx