Pharmacy Abbreviations

Pharmacy Abbreviations

Meaning

Memory keys

as are vowels; so are the

aa of each beginning of the words

two

ac before p

before meals

piece of cake after meals; but a comes

a.d.

right ear

ad lib

as needed or desired

AM, am

right ear is a dumb ear; a for auditory ad lib song

morning

common use 1st 3 letters are same

amp

ampule

app

apply

a.s.

left ear

asap

as soon as possible

common use

aqua

liquid, water

aqua

au

both ears

all understood with both ears; aures utrae

b.i.d.

twice a day

bi- two a day

BM

bowel movement

common use

BP

blood pressure

initials are same

Ca

calcium

1st2 letters are same

cap

capsule

CBC

complete blood count

1st 3 letters are same

Cl

chlorine

1st 2 letters are same

comp

compound

1st 3 letters are same

D/C discharge discontinuing a drug Dc, disc, d/c discharge

discontinue

left ear is a smart ear; a for auditory

1st 3 letters are same

1st 4 letters are same Discharge is a bigger thing than Discontinuing is smaller thing than a

disp

dispense

1st 4 letters are same

dos

dose

1st 3 letters are same

DR, MD

doctor

common use

Dr, 3

dram

A lot of dramas are played on Ch.3

DX

diagnosis

common use

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

common use

EENT

ear eye nose throat

elix

elixir

1st 3 letters are same

emul

emulsion

1st 4 letters are same

et

and

French word for and

Etoh

alcohol

sounds the same

Exp

expired

1st 3 letters are same

Fe

iron

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

Fl, fld

fluid

1st 2 letters are same

g have

gram

common use; gee gram, what small eyes you

gr

grain

1st 2 letters are same; grain makes you gr…

gtt

drop

leaky gutters make rain drops

H2O

water

common use

h.s.

hour of sleep/bedtime

hour of sleep

Hx

history

ex boy/girlfriend is history

IEN

Into each nostrils

IM muscle!

Intramuscular

inj

injection

1st 3 letters are same

IT

intrathecal

It – into the cal

IU

International Unit

Initials are same as words

IV

intravenous

common use

Initials are same as words

for everything iron out problems Initials are same as words

Initials are same as words I’m in pain from Twinix shots in

K

potassium

Special K cereal has some potassium in it

L

liter

common use

Lb, #

pound

common use

liq

liquid

1st 3 letters are same

lot

lotion

1st 3 letters are same

mcg

microgram

microwave cool goodies

mEq

milliequivalent

Mg

magnesium

Mag means big, use big letter for magnesium

mg letter

milligram

milligram is a little measurement; use small

Mitte

send of such

need a mitten to make and send a snowball

mm

millimeter

common use

Na

sodium

Do you want salt? Nah

NaCl

sodium chloride

Nah to salt and chloride too

neb.

nebules

1st 3 letters are same

NKA

no known allergies

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NR

no repeat

NS

normal saline

NPO

nothing by mouth

NSAID inflammations

you’re on your own here

1st 3 letters are same 1st 4 letters are same No Repeat In NS, we have normal salt water No popping Oreos into your mouth

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

No steroids to aid with

od

daily

doing it daily no big thing; small letters

OD dumb

right eye

big letters for big round eyes, O; right eye is

O/L

oral liquid

over load on liquid, use big letters

OS left eye eye is smart

big letters for big round eyes, O; left

OTC

over the counter

obvious common use

OU

each eye

big letters for big round eyes, O see everything, understand

oz

ounce

common use

p

after

post, after

pc

after meals

piece of cake after meal

everything

1st 3 letters, initials are same;

per rect., pr rectally PR is crap, from rectum prn

whenever necessary

please run now; whenever necessary

prn pain

whenever necessary , for pain

prn itching whenever necessary , for itch prn tuss

whenever necessary , for cough

q

every

q2h

every 2 hours

common use

q4h

every 4 hours

common use

q.a.m.

common use

every morning

qh

every hour

qod

every other day

q.p.m.

common use common use common use

every evening

common use

qs

sufficient quantity

common use

qt

quart

common use

qty

quantity

common use

R/O

rule out

major stuff, big letters rule out

RR Recovery Room recover from stress

A room for rest and relaxation to

rep

repeat

exercise reps, repeating action

Rx

prescription, recipe

common use

Sig the label

label, let it be printed

Sl, S/L, subling

sublingual

SOB properly

shortness of breath

sol

solution

SQ, SC my skin

doc’s signature, note tells us to read same sound When you sob, you usually can’t breathe 1st 3 letters are same

subcutaneous; under skin Sea Quest; Sea creatures gets under

ss

one- half

semis = half

spar

sparingly

1st 4 letters are same

stat

immediately

common use in hospitals

supp

suppository

1st 4 letters are same

SWI

sterile water for injection 1st 3 letters are same, swish with water

syr

syrup

tab/s

tablets

1st 3 letters are same

tbsp

tablespoonful

common use

temp

temperature

1st 4 letters are same

tid

three times a day

tri- or three in a day

tr, tinc

1st 3 letters are same

1st 4 letters are same

tincture

trit

triturate

1st 4 letters are same

tsp

teaspoon

common use

tuss

cough

Tussin is a cough medicine

u.d, u, dict as directed

understand dude? Use as directed

UF

until finished

common use

ung

ointment

I’ll be needing that ointment for that fungus

UTI

urinary tract infection

V, Vag

vaginal

initials, not a cutie thing here pretty obvious here

VO

verbal order

vol

volume

voice over phone, verbal order 1st 3 letters are same