3.4.1: Patient Education
- Page ID
- 88687
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Patient education is an important task for the Medical Assistant. When a patient receives a new prescription, the MA should educate the patient regarding the name of the drug, the intended action of the drug, side effects and adverse effects of the drug, how the drug is supplied (tablets, liquids, etc.), how often the patient should take the drug, and any other important information. To do this, the MA should be familiar with common medical abbreviations.
Table of Common Medical Abbreviations and their Meanings
| Abbreviation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|
|
ss |
one-half |
|
i |
one |
|
v |
five |
|
x |
ten |
|
L |
fifty |
|
C |
one hundred |
|
M |
one thousand |
|
5X Day |
5 times a day |
|
AC |
Before meals |
|
AD |
Right ear |
|
Ante |
before |
|
AS |
Left ear |
|
ASA |
aspirin |
|
ATC |
Around the clock |
|
AU |
Both ears |
|
BCP |
Birth control pills |
|
bib |
drink |
|
BID |
Twice per day |
|
BM |
Bowel movement |
|
Bucc |
Inside cheek |
|
c |
with |
|
cap |
capsule |
|
C/O |
Complaints of |
|
cc |
cubic centimeter (1 mL) |
|
CC |
Chief complaint |
|
DC or D/C |
Discontinue |
|
Disp |
dispense |
|
Et |
And |
|
Fe |
Iron |
|
g |
Gram |
|
gr |
Grain |
|
gtt |
Drops |
|
HA |
headache |
|
HS |
At bedtime |
|
ID |
Intradermal |
|
IM |
Intramuscular |
|
IN |
intranasal |
|
inh |
inhalation |
|
K |
potassium |
|
L |
liter |
|
lb or # |
pound |
|
LMP |
Last menstrual period |
|
mcg |
Microgram |
|
MDI |
Metered dose inhaler |
|
mg |
milligram |
|
Mg |
Magnesium |
|
mL |
Milliliter |
|
N/V |
Nausea and vomiting |
|
Na |
Sodium |
|
NKA |
No known allergies |
|
NKDA |
No known drug allergies |
|
noct or noc |
Night |
|
NPO |
Nothing by mouth |
|
NS |
Normal saline |
|
NSAID |
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory |
|
OD |
Right eye |
|
OS |
Left eye |
|
OTC |
Over the counter |
|
OU |
Both eyes |
|
oz |
Ounce |
|
PC |
After meals |
|
Per |
By or through |
|
PO |
By mouth |
|
PR |
By rectum |
|
PRN |
As needed |
|
Q 2hr |
Every 2 hours |
|
Q 4hr |
Every 4 hours |
|
Qday |
Once per day |
|
QID |
Four times per day |
|
QOD |
Every odd day |
|
QPM |
Every evening |
|
s |
Without |
|
SL |
Under the tongue |
|
SOB |
Shortness of breath |
|
SQ or SC |
Subcutaneous |
|
Stat |
Immediately |
|
Supp |
suppository |
|
Tab |
Tablet |
|
tbsp |
tablespoon |
|
tsp |
teaspoon |
|
TID |
Three times per day |
|
Troche |
lozenge |
|
U |
unit |
|
UG |
Until gone |
|
ung |
ointment |
|
Wt |
Weight |
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has published a list of abbreviations that should not be used due to the risk of misinterpretation and potential patient harm. View the list below the the JCAHO Do Not Use list:
|
Do Not Use |
Potential Problem |
Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
|
U, u (unit) |
Mistaken for “0” (zero), the number “4” (four) or “cc” |
Write “unit” |
|
IU (International Unit) |
Mistaken for IV (intravenous) or the number 10 (ten) |
Write “International Unit” |
|
Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily) |
Mistaken for each other |
Write “daily” |
|
Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d., qod (every other day) |
Period after the Q mistaken for "I" and “O” mistaken for “I” |
Write “every other day” |
|
Trailing zero (X.0 mg) |
Decimal point is missed |
Write X mg |
|
Lack of leading zero (.X mg) |
Decimal point is missed |
Write 0.X mg |
|
MS |
Can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate |
Write “morphine sulfate” or write “magnesium sulfate” |
|
MSO4 and MgSO4 |
Confused for one another |
To view the PDF list published by the JCAHO, visit Official “Do Not Use” List(opens in new window) [www.jointcommission.org]