Pharmacy Abbreviation Errors

Pharmacy Abbreviation Errors can come into play during the data entry part of the filling process.

Or they can originate with the prescriber if he or she writes the wrong abbreviation or writes something that is illegible.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (or ISMP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating healthcare professionals, including pharmacy techs, pharmacists and prescribers on safe medication practices.

The ISMP has created a list of error-prone Abbreviations, Symbols and Dose Designations that is downloadable as a .pdf document. Error-Prone Abbreviations

As you may see in the "Error-Prone Abbreviations" pdf document, a simple action on the part of the prescriber could prevent a lot of medication abbreviation errors.

If, instead of abbreviating the medication name, the prescriber would write out the name, this would eliminate a large "potential for errors."

While it takes the prescriber only a few more seconds of his or her time, improved patient outcomes resulting from the pharmacy dispensing the correct medication should be well worth the doctors few extra seconds.

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