What is the answer to this test question?

mauser · Jan 15, 2005

For what it is worth.....

I have a "Medical Abbreviations" book I use as a medical transcriptionist. Often there are a few choices under each abbrev. The only thing listed under Mg is magnesium.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jan 15, 2005

For what it is worth.....
I have a "Medical Abbreviations" book I use as a medical transcriptionist. Often there are a few choices under each abbrev. The only thing listed under Mg is magnesium.

I would agree with this. The only milligram I have ever seen is mg .

Micrograms as mcg or ug with the funny "u".

Magnesium always as Mg. :)

GARYLPN · Jan 15, 2005

I've never seen Mg unless it's related to Chemistry perhaps. It's either mg for milligram or mcg for microgram.

Sheba817 · Jan 15, 2005

as far as I know, mg/Mg/cc are the same....neither is more than the other....ex: 1cc = 1mg = 1MG.....however I have NEVER seen Mg used as mg or cc

RN-2006 · Jan 15, 2005

Hi all,
OK. This may seem like the dumbest question but for the life of me I can't see how the answer I'm being given is right.
The question is:
A Mg is smaller than a mg. True or False?
Hi there! I agree with your answer and your suggestion that this is one dumb question! Unfortunately, there are a lot of "doozies" when it comes to nursing test questions. Rest assured, if this was the only question you had concerns about, I am sure you did fine!
Good luck!:)

Amethyst Veralyn · Feb 12, 2009

Have you ever gotten in trouble for an improper abbreviation, not as a

perscribing doctor, charge nurse or transcriptionist, but just as a CNA or as

a regular staff nurse or as a private caregiver who sends your patient care notes in to your agency?

Is it mostly the ones who write orders who can end up in lawsuits or is it all of us?

RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2009

yes , I thought this was an abbreviation UNAPPROVED by JACO. And obviously for GOOD reason. I have seen milligram written both ways--Mg and mg--by doctors and they have NEVER meant microgram when writting Mg........I think this is a REALLY outdated practice--If I were taught this in nursing school I would bring it to the attention that it is obsolete in practice and against JACO regs to use it.......

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 12, 2009

As far as I know, Mg is the same as mg unless they're talking about magnesium. It's just capitalized, that's all.

And I think that they're also getting rid of that funny u for micrograms and insisting that it be written as mcg only, because that u is either confusing people or being misread.

doh123 · Feb 12, 2009

either the review CD is wrong, or it was trying to actually make the micro symbol and your fonts didn't support it and it showed up incorrectly on your computer.

Don't ever assume any practice tests are right, I've found many that are wrong. I try to only practice with books that give rationales, or at least explain a bit why an answer is right or wrong...

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2009

the abbreviation "mg" is chemical shorthand for the element, magnesium.

the only abbreviation for milligram is "mg"

there are two abbreviations for microgram: "mcg" and "ug"

so, for a mg is smaller than a mg. true or false? the answer is false. if you got this question from one of those nclex review discs, there is a good possibility that the disc is incorrect. there have been a high degree of problems with incorrect answers on them. the saunders review is particular notorious for a lot of errors on their disc.

mcknis · Feb 13, 2009

I would be concerned if I saw Mg, MG, mg, and someone told me that they all mean something different! (other than what Daytonite is refering to above)