Which statements involve acceptable use of an abbreviation, symbol, or dose designation in documentation? Select all that apply.

Question

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The Joint Commission (2004) and Institute for Safe Medication Practices prohibit error-prone or "dangerous" abbreviations, descriptions of symptoms, and dose designations in medical documentation. "Cm" (centimeters) and "II" (2) (eg, decubitus staging) are acceptable abbreviations/notations (Option A). The abbreviations "ac" (before meals), "pc" (after meals), and "c/o" (complains of) are acceptable (Option D). "QID" (4 times a day) is acceptable. Abbreviations that are not acceptable include "qd" (daily) and "q1d" (daily), which can be mistaken for "qid" (4 times a day), and "qod" (every other day), which can be mistaken for "qd" (daily) (Option E). (Option B) A trailing zero after the decimal point is not acceptable as it could be interpreted as 40 instead of 4 if the decimal point is not noted. The use of "u" for unit is not acceptable as it can be mistaken for the number 0 or 4 (eg, 4u seen as 40). "SSRI" (sliding-scale regular insulin) is not acceptable to indicate insulin as it can be mistaken for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. "Mg" for milligrams is acceptable. (Option C) A zero must precede the decimal dose. If the decimal point is missed, ".5" could be mistaken for 5 mg. Educational objective: Acceptable abbreviations include "ac," "pc," "QID," and "cm." Unacceptable abbreviations include "qd," "q1d," and "qod"; "SSRI" for insulin; and "u" for units. There must be a zero before a decimal dose and no trailing zero after a decimal point.

Which Statements Involve Acceptable Use of an Abbreviation, Symbol, or Dose