The nurse is teaching a group of student nurses about drug safety. Keeping in mind Joint Commission guidelines, which of the following does the nurse teach the students? Select all that apply.
“Use OD to indicate right eye for eye medications.”
“Use the letter u to indicate units, such as with insulin.”
Numbers 1 and 2 are correct.
Joint Commission guidelines dictate which abbreviations can or cannot be used. Drug names should be spelled out fully. For example, MS can be magnesium sulfate or morphine sulfate ; therefore, drug abbreviations should be avoided. The word daily should no longer be abbreviated, but spelled out in full. The rectal route should not be abbreviated, but should be spelled out as per rectum . The designation of right eye or left eye should be spelled out and not abbreviated. The word units should not be abbreviated, since it can be confused with a zero, the number 4 , or the term cc .
