abbreviations should also be avoided. Hospitals may chose to audit the use of other error-prone abbreviations, symbols or terminology according to locally agreed priorities, for example the use of abbreviated names of medicines. Key definitions abbreviations relevant to this indicator and their acceptable alternatives are outlined below: What Error-prone Intended Why? should be abbreviation meaning used? mcg or Mistaken as microgram, μg, microgram ug microg ‘mg’ Mistaken as the numbers or ‘0’ ‘4’, causing a overdose or greater (eg 4U seen as or 4u ‘40’ U or u unit unit seen as ‘44’). Mistaken as so dose ‘cc’ given as a volume instead of units (eg 4u seen as 4 cc) Use zero No leading before a Mistaken as zero before decimal 5mg if the a decimal 0.5mg point when decimal point point (eg the dose is is not seen .5mg) less than a whole unit Do not use Trailing zero trailing Mistaken as after zeros for 10mg if the decimal 1mg doses decimal point point (eg expressed is not seen 1.0mg) in whole numbers Mistaken as qd or QD every day daily ‘Qid’,
abbreviations should also be avoided. Hospitals may chose to audit the use of other error-prone abbreviations, symbols or terminology according to locally agreed priorities, for example the use of abbreviated names of medicines. Key definitions abbreviations relevant to this indicator and their acceptable alternatives are outlined below: Error-prone abbreviation Intended meaning Why? What should be used? μg, mcg or ug microgram Mistaken as ‘mg’ microgram, microg U or u unit Mistaken as the numbers ‘0’ or ‘4’, causing a overdose or greater (eg 4U seen as ‘40’ or 4u seen as ‘44’). Mistaken as ‘cc’ so dose given as a volume instead of units (eg 4u seen as 4 cc) unit No leading zero before a decimal point (eg .5mg) 0.5mg Mistaken as 5mg if the decimal point is not seen Use zero before a decimal point when the dose is less than a whole unit Trailing zero after decimal point (eg 1.0mg) 1mg Mistaken as 10mg if the decimal point is not seen Do not use trailing zeros for doses expressed in whole numbers qd or QD every day Mistaken as ‘Qid’, daily
SAQ127_Indicators_3.3.docx