Drug Orders Cheat Sheet

A drug order, also called a medical prescription, is an instruction from a provider to give a patient medication. Providers such as a physician, dentist, podiatrist, advanced practice nurse (in most states), and other authorized licensed healthcare providers can write a drug order. Physician assistants can also write a drug order but require the co-signature of a physician.

All drug orders are written on a prescription pad or on an order sheet if written in a healthcare institution. Sometimes orders are written into a computerized drug order system. A verbal drug order is sometimes given but must be followed up with a written drug order within 24 hours.

Abbreviations used in Drug Orders

 

Direction →	L (in circle)	Left
	R (in a circle)	Right
Dose       →	Aa	Of each
	C‾	With
	DS	Double stre
	elix.	Elixir
	fl or fld.	Fluid
	Gtt	Drop
	NS or N/S	Normal saline
	q.s.	A sufficient amount/ as much as needed/ quantity sufficient
	S‾	Without
	SS or ss	One half
	SR	Sustained release
	XL	Long acting
	XR Extended release	Extended release
Form     →
	amp aq c cap or caps EC Mix  sol or soln supp susp syp or syr tab Tr or tinct ung. or oint	ampule Water Cup Capsule Enteric coated Mixture Solution Suppository Suspension Syrup Tablet Tincture Ointment
Method      →
	gt or GT I.D. I.M. I.V. IVPB IVSS KVO   NGT n.p.o Per Per os or p.o. p.r. s.c or S.C. or s.q.* sl or SL S&S vag	Gastrostomy tube Intradermal Intramuscular Intravenous Intravenous piggyback Intravenous soluset Keep vein open (a vey slow infusion rate) Nasogastric tube Nothing by mouth Through or by By or through mouth By rectum Subcutaneous Sublingual Swish and swallow Vaginally
Part    →
	A.D. or AD*	Right ear
	A.S. or AS*	Left ear
	A.U. or AU*	Both ears
	OD*	Right eye
	os*	Mouth
	OS*	Left eye
	OU*	Both eyes
	Rect*	Rectum
Time    →
	a‾	Before
	ad.lib	As desired
	b.i.d. or bid	Twice a day
	d.c. or D/C	Discontinue
	h or hr	Hour
	h.s.	At bed time
	min	Minute
	o.d. or OD	Once a day
	p‾	After
	p.c.	After meals
	p.r.n.	When necessary
	q. q.a.m. q.d. or qd* q.h. or qh q2h, q4h   qhs or q.h.s.* q.i.d. or qid q.o.d. or qod* s.o.s stat or STAT t.i.d. or tid  t.i.w.*	Every, each Every morning Every day or once a day Every hour Every two hours, every four hours Every night at bedtime Four times a day Every other day Once if necessary Immediately or at once Three times a day Three times a week

Drug orders are written using the abbreviations  that you should need to know shown in Table and must contain:

• Date and time the order (prescription) was issued.
• Name of drug and whether or not a generic form of the drug can be substituted for a brand-name drug.
• Drug dose.
• Route of administration.
• Frequency and duration of administration.
• Special instructions such as withholding or adjusting dosage based on nursing assessment, laboratory results, or drug effectiveness.
• Signature of the prescriber.
• Signature of the healthcare providers who took the order and transcribed it.