Exam aid · Pharmacy practice and law

Prescription Abbreviations

Latin abbreviations pharmacists still see on prescriptions, and the ones that cause errors.

Practise Community Pharmacy MCQs

Tables to memorise

Cover the right-hand column and test yourself before checking.

Frequency and timing

AbbreviationMeaning
o.d. / q.d.Once daily
b.d. / b.i.d.Twice daily
t.d.s. / t.i.d.Three times daily
q.i.d. / q.d.s.Four times daily
q.4.h.Every four hours
p.r.n.When required
statImmediately
a.c.Before meals
p.c.After meals
h.s. / o.n.At bedtime / at night
maneIn the morning

Routes and forms

AbbreviationMeaning
p.o.By mouth
s.l.Sublingual
i.m. / i.v. / s.c.Intramuscular / intravenous / subcutaneous
p.r. / p.v.Rectally / vaginally
inh.Inhaled
top.Topically
gutt.Drops
ung.Ointment
tab. / cap.Tablet / capsule
RxTake (recipe)

Error-prone writing to avoid

AvoidWrite instead / why
U or IU'units' (U misread as 0)
µg'micrograms' (misread as mg)
Trailing zero 5.0 mg5 mg (misread as 50)
Naked decimal .5 mg0.5 mg (misread as 5)
q.d. / o.d.'daily' (o.d. can mean right eye)
MS / MSO4'morphine sulfate' (confused with magnesium sulfate)

One-liners examiners love

  • q.i.d. gives 4 doses; q.4.h. gives 6 doses a day.
  • Always a leading zero, never a trailing zero.
  • Write 'units' and 'micrograms' in full.
  • Methotrexate for arthritis is weekly; query any 'daily' order.

Memory aids

Ante = before, Post = after
a.c. before meals, p.c. after meals.

Now turn it into marks

Attempt MCQs on these topics while the sheet is fresh. Anything you get wrong goes to your incorrect list for the next round.

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