Medical Abbreviations and the Do-Not-Use List
Know the common abbreviations, but never use the Joint Commission 'Do Not Use' items; write the full word instead.
The Joint Commission official 'Do Not Use' list
| do not use | problem | use instead |
|---|---|---|
| U, u (unit) | Mistaken for 0, 4 or cc | Write 'unit' |
| IU (international unit) | Mistaken for IV or 10 | Write 'International Unit' |
| Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily) | Mistaken for each other (Q.O.D.); period after Q read as I | Write 'daily' |
| Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d., qod (every other day) | The O mistaken for I | Write 'every other day' |
| Trailing zero (X.0 mg) | Decimal point missed; 5.0 mg read as 50 mg | Write X mg |
| Lack of leading zero (.X mg) | Decimal point missed; .5 mg read as 5 mg | Write 0.X mg |
| MS, MSO4, MgSO4 | Confused for one another (morphine sulfate vs magnesium sulfate) | Write 'morphine sulfate' or 'magnesium sulfate' |
Applies to all orders and medication-related documentation that is handwritten (including free-text computer entry) or on preprinted forms.
The list was confirmed from the official TJC table reproduced in a peer-reviewed article (PMC3005872) and the ISMP 2021 error-prone list (items marked as on TJC's list); jointcommission.org itself was not reachable. ISMP allows 'units' for IU; TJC says write 'International Unit'. Re-check the TJC wording before release.
Preview only. The full sheet also covers: Also avoid (ISMP error-prone items); Common abbreviations.
Sources
- Official "Do Not Use" List (fact sheet) - jointcommission.org not reachable from this environment; list content confirmed via the secondary reprint below and OpenStax · The Joint Commission
- Abbreviations to avoid (The Joint Commission) - Nursing Drug Handbook toolkit reprint (secondary) · Wolters Kluwer NursingCenter
- Clinical Nursing Skills, 11.3 Documentation of Medication Administration (Approved Abbreviations; ISMP error-prone abbreviations) · OpenStax (Rice University)
- Appendix B: Some Common Abbreviations · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Table 1: Official Do Not Use list of abbreviations from the Joint Commission (reproduced in a peer-reviewed study of abbreviation alerts, PMC3005872) · PubMed Central