Abbreviations No Longer Allowed by Medicare

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I remember hearing that there were some common medical abbreviations that Medicare no longer allows. I believe one that I remember was the "u" in "units" and that it could be mistaken for micrograms. Another was the abbreviation for "with", a "c" with a dash about it. Is this just for Medicare paperwork or does it affect all hospitals? If this is the case, could someone please direct me to a list of them? I'm taking a CNA class this week - I remembered hearing about these changes and since my instructor has been out of nursing for 4 years, she'd like to see the list if it exists, if I have correct info.

Thanks for any help you can give me on this!

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

Can no longer use:

u=units

MgSo4=Magnesium Sulfate

MS04=Morphine

qd=every day

no trailing zeros (ie. 40.0)

There's more, but I have a "brain freeze" right now!!!

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If anyone can direct me to a list, I'd appreciate it!

So, you mean you can't you "qid" as in 4x/day? I have no idea where to look for this list.

If anyone knows, please feel free to PM me...

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Found a list on JCAHO's website. Should be the first link on the page.

http://www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/patient+safety/dnu.htm

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

Some of this upsets me. I mean they (TPTB) are "dumbifying" healthcare. Healthcare has a unique language but because certain mistakes have been made, they are forbidding the use of certain abbreviations. I can see how some abbreviations possibly could be misinterpreted but most of the cases are easily avoided by nurses who use critical thinking skills.

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Specializes in OB, Telephone Triage, Chart Review/Code.

Each hospital that I have worked at has given me a list. The confusion of it is that each hospital has different ones listed!

It's hard to stop using them when we are so used to them. I wonder, though, who is responsible for letting the MD's know about them...at one hospital I worked at last year, we had to call the physician to make the correction.

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I wonder, though, who is responsible for letting the MD's know about them...at one hospital I worked at last year, we had to call the physician to make the correction.

The past hospital where I did my preceptorship, pharmacy was usually the one to bring it to the Drs attention. They had carbon copy physician order forms and these are what we sent to pharm. If there was a prohibited abbreviation it was circled in BIG permanent red marker and sent back for correction.

According to those I was working with there was what they called a "pharmacy nazi" who was really cracking down on the abbreviations.

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According to those I was working with there was what they called a "pharmacy nazi" who was really cracking down on the abbreviations.

Actually, our hospital has one of those and she goes from unit to unit to be sure that we are all JCAHO compliant. :angryfire I think we call her the "Abbreviation Police." I suppose I could ask her, but she's not always on our floor when I am and I haven't been up on the floor because I've been doing a CNA class this past week.

Wow, beauracacy at work in it's finest!!!

Thanks everyone for your help!!

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