It is a common practice by physicians to use Latin abbreviations when writing prescriptions. You may have noticed these in your prescriptions. Although well known to Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, these abbreviations can be the cause of medication dosing errors especially in the hospital setting. Avoiding these abbreviations and the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) helped reduce these errors. The following abbreviations are common:
AC Ante Cibum means BEFORE MEALS
BID Bis In Die means TWICE A DAY
TID Ter In Die means THREE TIMES A DAY
QID Quater In Die means FOUR TIMES A DAY
PRN Pro Re Nata means AS NEEDED
QD Quaque Die means EVERY DAY
HS Hora Somni means AT BEDTIME
GT Gutta means DROP
OD Oculus Dexter means RIGHT EYE
OS Oculus Sinister means LEFT EYE
PO Per OS means BY MOUTH
PC Post Cibum means AFTER MEALS
SIG Signa means WRITE