Medication Orders
On completion of this chapter, you will be able to:
1. Define the terms in the vocabulary list.
2. Write the meaning of the abbreviations in the abbreviations list.
3. Identify at least four causes of medication errors, and explain how the use of computer physician order entry (CPOE) with clinical decision support systems (CDSS) decreases the risk of errors.
4. Compare the health unit coordinator (HUC) roles regarding medication orders with and without electronic medical records (EMRs) with CPOE.
5. Discuss two types of medicine carts and their use, and identify two medications that would be found in the medication stock supply.
6. Discuss the use of the medication administration record (MAR) when EMRs are used and when paper charts are used.
7. List the five components of a medication order.
8. List at least four routes by which medications may be administered.
9. Describe the general purpose for provided drug groups.
10. Identify four categories of medications that are controlled substances.
11. Explain the importance of notifying the pharmacy of changes or pending changes to a patient’s total parenteral nutrition (TPN) orders.
12. Define standing, prn, one-time, short-series, and stat medication orders.
13. Name three common skin tests performed, and explain the purpose of each.
14. Discuss how medications are renewed, discontinued, and changed when the EMR is used and when paper charts are used.
The result of adding a medication to a bag of intravenous solution.
Injuries or harmful reactions that result from the use of a drug.
Concentrated dose of medication or fluid, frequently given intravenously (may also be referred to as a loading dose).
Storage cart that requires confidential user ID and a password to gain access to medications (e.g., Pyxis MedStation).
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
A U.S. Department of Justice law enforcement agency tasked with suppressing the sale of recreational drugs by enforcing the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in narcotics enforcement matters.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
U.S. government agency whose purpose is to ensure that foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices are safe and properly labeled.
The act of breathing in; liquid medications are most commonly administered by the respiratory care department as part of its treatment procedures.
Medication that is given by forcing a liquid into the body by means of a needle and syringe (intraarterial, intradermal, intramuscular, intravenous, and subcutaneous).
To slowly introduce fluid into a cavity or a passage of the body to remain for a specific length of time before it is drained or withdrawn. (The purpose is to expose tissues of the area to the solution, to hot or cold, or to a drug or substance in the solution.)
Injection of a substance between the layers of the skin (used for skin tests).
Injection of medication directly into the muscle.
Administration of a substance directly into a vein.
Intravenous or IV Piggyback (IVPB)
A method of administering a medication in 50 to 100 mL of solution through an intravenous line that is inserted into a patient’s vein and given by hanging it above the level of the primary fluid bag.
Method of giving concentrated doses of medication directly into the vein.
Medication Administration Record (MAR)
Computerized list of medications that each individual patient is currently taking; it is used by the nurse to administer and document medications.
Controlled drug that relieves pain or produces sleep.
Drugs for which a prescription is not needed. The FDA defines OTC drugs as safe and effective for use by the general public without a doctor’s prescription.
Pertaining to a medication administered by a route that bypasses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as a drug given by injection, or intravenously.
Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)
Medications administered intravenously by means of a special infusion pump controlled by the patient within order ranges written by the physician.
Medications prepared specifically for insertion into the rectum. Enemas are also instilled into the rectum.
Agents given to reduce or relive anxiety, stress, or excitement.
Agents given to induce sleep and to relieve anxiety.
Tests given to determine the reaction of the body to a substance injected intradermally or applied topically to the skin. Skin tests are used to detect allergens, to determine immunity, and to diagnose disease.
Subcutaneous Injection (sq or sub-q)
Injection of a small amount of a medication under the skin into fatty or connective tissue.
Medicated substance mixed in a solid base that melts when placed in a body opening; suppositories are commonly used in the rectum, vagina, or urethra.
Direct application of medication to the skin, eye, ear, or other parts of the body.
Cart that contains “unit doses” in separate drawers or bins specifically labeled for each patient as ordered by the doctor(s).
Abbreviation | Meaning | Example of Usage on a Doctor’s Order Sheet |
ADE | adverse drug event | [ADEs are common and costly] |
ASA | acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin | ASA 81 mg PO q day |
BCOC or LOC | bowel care of choice or laxative of choice | BCOC as per patient requestLOC as per patient request |
BS | bedside | NTG 0.4 mg subling prn, keep @ BS |
cc(same as “mL” and may not be allowed in some facilities, as it may be confused with “U” or “u” if poorly written) | cubic centimeters | MOM 30cc po prn |
G, gm, or g | gram | cefadroxil 1 g IVPB q6h |
gr | grain | chloral hydrate gr XV PO hs prn |
HA or H/A | headache | Tylenol 650 mg prn H/A |
IM | intramuscular | vitamin B12 1000 mcg deep IM tomorrow |
IV | intravenous | D/C IV if infiltrates |
IVP | intravenous push | theophylline 5 mg/kg IVP now |
IVPB | intravenous or IV piggyback | cephalothin 0.5 g IVPB q8h |
KCl | potassium chloride | Add 40 mEq KCl to each IV |
L | liter | 1 L 5% D/W to run @ 125 mL/hr |
mcg | microgram | vitamin B12 1000 mcg IM |
mEq | milliequivalent | Give 20 mEq KCl per open heart protocol |
mg | milligram | ciprofloxacin 250 mg PO q12° |
mL or ml | milliliter (same as cubic centimeter) | 1000 mL 5% D/W @ KO rate |
noc | night | Ambien 10 mg po q noc |
NTG | nitroglycerin | NTG 0.4 mg subling for heart pain prn |
OTC | over-the-counter | The patient was not taking any OTC medications |
oz | ounce | Add 8 oz of juice to Metamucil packet |
PCA | patient-controlled analgesia | PCA morphine sulfate 2 mg q15 min |
PCN | penicillin | PCN 250 mg PO q 6 hr |
PO or po | per os (by mouth) | lorazepam 2 mg PO tid |
Pr or R | per rectum | bisacodyl supp 10 mg pr now |
prn | pro re nata (as needed) | Maalox 30 mL prn GI discomfort |
sq, or sub-q | subcutaneous | heparin 5000 unit sub-q daily |
subling, sl | sublingual (under tongue) | nitroglycerin tab sl prn anginal pain |
supp | suppository | acetaminophen supp prn for temp ↑ 100°(R) |
syr | syrup | ipecac syr 15 mL now |
tinct or tr | tincture | Apply tinct of benzoin around operative site before applying tape |
See Table 10-1 for a list of incorrect and correct abbreviations, as approved by The Joint Commission (TJC). Some hospitals have additional abbreviations to avoid using, such as those listed in Table 13-1.
TABLE 13-1
A Hospital’s List of Additional Abbreviations to Avoid
Abbreviation | Potential Problem | Preferred Term |
IM | Because of poor writing, often misinterpreted as “IV,” causing the medication to be given via the wrong route | Write out “intramuscular” |
D/C | Patient’s medications may be prematurely discontinued when D/C means “discharge” and is followed by a list of medications | Write out “discontinue” |
HS | May be misinterpreted as “hour of sleep” when written as meaning “half-strength” | Write out “half-strength” |
IVP | When written to mean “intravenous push,” may be mistaken for “intravenous piggyback” (IVPB) | Write out “intravenous push” |
S/C or S/Q | When poorly written, often mistaken for “SL” (sublingual) | Write out “subcutaneous” |
Slash mark: / | Misunderstood as the number “1” rather than the intended meaning “per” | Write out “per” |
Computer Physician Order Entry and Clinical Decision Support System
Adverse drug events (ADEs) result in more than 770,000 injuries and deaths each year and cost up to $5.6 million per hospital, depending on size. Illegible doctors’ handwriting and transcription errors are responsible for as much as 61% of the medication errors. Medication errors may involve the wrong drug or the incorrect dose. Errors can go undetected unless there is an adverse event. A simple mistake such as putting the decimal point in the wrong place can have serious consequences because a patient’s dose could be 10 times the recommended amount. Drugs with similar names are also a common cause of error, such as quinine (used to treat malaria) and quinidine (used to normalize the heartbeat in people with certain heart rhythm disorders) or Zyrtec (used to treat allergies) and Zyprexa (used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). Other ADEs occur as a result of administration mistakes, including the wrong frequency or time, or the incorrect route, or medication not administered at all.
U.S. hospitals that have switched to computer physician order entry (CPOE) systems have experienced a 66% drop in prescription errors according to a new review of studies. When CPOE is used, the doctor enters orders directly into the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR) via computer, and the orders are automatically sent to the pharmacy, reducing the risk of errors in interpreting doctors’ handwriting. E-prescribing is the process of sending a medication order or prescription from the prescriber’s computer to the pharmacy computer. The clinical decision support system (CDSS) provides the doctor with prompts that warn against the possibility of drug interaction, allergy, or overdose at the point of order entry.
Health Unit Coordinator Role Regarding Medication Orders with and without an Electronic Medical Record with Computer Physician Order Entry
Health unit coordinators (HUCs) working in hospitals that have implemented an EMR system with CPOE no longer have the responsibility of interpreting doctors’ handwritten medication orders. It is, however, beneficial that the HUC recognize medication orders. The HUC will still have some responsibilities involving medications, such as ordering stock medications for the nursing unit and printing required computerized medication pamphlets prior to a patient’s discharge. The HUC may also be required to include some types of medications on requisitions (such as anticonvulsants for a neurodiagnostics test). The goal is for all hospitals to have EMR with CPOE in 2014, but as of 2012 most hospitals do not have electronic prescription systems (stand-alone or as part of an EMR program) in use. Electronic prescription systems are costly and difficult to integrate into the sometimes chaotic hospital structure. The HUC is still transcribing medication orders in many hospitals. Transcription of medication orders will vary among hospitals and may involve writing ordered medications on the patient’s paper medication administration record (MAR) or entering medications into the patient’s computerized MAR. (Review transcription of medication orders in Chapter 9.)
Administration of Medication
Medication Carts
Medications are usually stored in a medicine cart that is prepared by the pharmacy and sent to the units daily. Use of medication carts reduces the risk of mislabeled medications, ensuring that regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are met. Two types of medication carts are used. One is a unit dose medicine cart that contains “unit doses” in separate drawers or bins specifically labeled for each patient as ordered by the doctor(s). The pharmacist fills these orders by reading the computerized orders written by the physician, or by reading a hard or faxed copy of the physician’s orders. The unit dose medication cart can be wheeled to the patient’s bedside for administration of the medication (Fig. 13-1). The second type is a computerized medication cart such as a Pyxis that requires the nurse to enter a confidential user identification (ID) and password to unlock the cart. The nurse always verifies the name of the medication, the dose, and the patient’s name before removing the medication. The computerized medication carts remain in the medication room and are not taken from room to room. Some hospitals lock intravenous (IV) solutions in a storage cabinet that is located next to the computerized medication cart, and both can be opened only when a nurse enters an assigned code (Fig. 13-2). All medications and/or IV solutions that are removed can be tracked on the computer by the code entered at the time of removal. When a computerized medication cart is used, the pharmacist enters the instructions for each patient’s medications into the cart (usually for a 24-hour period).

A registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse who is caring for a number of specific patients will administer medications to those patients. Alternatively, a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse may be assigned to serve as the “med nurse” and will administer medications to all patients on the nursing unit.
Medication Stock Supply
Hospitals store a supply of medications on nursing units, often in the computerized medication cart. This supply is often called the medication stock supply, and it includes many over-the–counter (OTC) drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, mineral oil, and milk of magnesia. When floor stock medicines are ordered from the pharmacy, they are charged to the unit budget.
The Medication Administration Record
The medication administration record (MAR), as described in Chapter 8, is a form on which nursing personnel record all medications given to the patient; it is a permanent part of the patient’s chart (electronic or paper). Nurses use the MAR as a reference while preparing medications for administration (if medication carts are not used) and while administering medications. The nurse signs the MAR electronically (when the EMR is used) or manually (when paper charts are used) at the bottom of the form at the end of each shift to indicate that the patient received the medications as charted or did not receive any medications if none were ordered. Currently, three methods of completing MARs are used.
If the EMR is not being used, the pharmacy prepares a printed medication record for each patient, which is sent to the nursing unit each morning. The registered nurse or the HUC adds to the MAR any new medications ordered, along with any changes to medication orders made during the day. The pharmacist, after having received the faxed physician orders, makes those changes, and the printed MAR sent the next morning reflects those changes. When the patient is discharged, the printed MARs become a permanent part of the patient’s chart.
A handwritten MAR is used when CPOE or the printed MAR initiated by the pharmacy has not been implemented. Transcribing of medication orders may require the HUC to write the order on the MAR. In some hospitals, nurses are responsible for writing their assigned patients’ medication orders on the MAR. Accuracy in copying the medication order from the physician’s order sheet onto the MAR is absolutely essential. The HUC initiates the record on the patient’s admission. The record varies in the number of days (3 to 10 days) that medications may be entered. When the last date of the dated period on the MAR has been reached, a new record with new dates is prepared, and all medications still in use are copied onto the new form. Handwritten MARs are also a permanent part of the patient’s chart. The MAR is a legal document, so entries are required to be written in ink (usually black) (Fig. 13-3). To discontinue medications on the MAR, indicate “DC” on the correct day and time, and draw a line through the days the medication will not be given. A yellow or pink highlight is usually drawn over the medication entry that is discontinued (see Fig. 13-3, A).



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