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Discussion

Abbreviation Help

I'm wondering if someone can help me figure out what an abbreviation means. The phrase is "Please administer 'medication' Ti (or a pi symbol that may or may not have 2 dots above it, I can't tell exactly) noon'.

My nursing school really went out of its way to not teach abbreviations/symbols and my google skills can't figure it out. I have a call out to the doctor's office to clarify, but I'm curious now!

What I know about the medication and patient and and the context of the directions give me multiple options about what Ti could mean. I feel like it's probably obvious, but I learned early to never assume!

Thanks for your help!

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    Definitely wait for the doctor's office clarification, but what looks like 2 vertical lines, with a horizontal line across the top, with 2 dots means 2 pills/capsules. Or 2 of whatever dose is written.

    So ibuprofen 200 mg (weird symbol with 2 dots) at noon would be ibuprofen 200 mg (2 pills) at noon.

    The number of vertical lines and dots should be equal and can change and is equivalent to how many pills the provider would like given for that time- I've never seen more than 3 though.

    I'm not sure where this abbreviation came from, and like I said, PLEASE CLARIFY (as you have stated you are doing) before administering the medication.

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    • Author
    Definitely wait for the doctor's office clarification, but what looks like 2 vertical lines, with a horizontal line across the top, with 2 dots means 2 pills/capsules. Or 2 of whatever dose is written.

    So ibuprofen 200 mg (weird symbol with 2 dots) at noon would be ibuprofen 200 mg (2 pills) at noon.

    The number of vertical lines and dots should be equal and can change and is equivalent to how many pills the provider would like given for that time- I've never seen more than 3 though.

    I'm not sure where this abbreviation came from, and like I said, PLEASE CLARIFY (as you have stated you are doing) before administering the medication.

    Thank you! That makes a lot of sense in this context! I'll still be waiting on that call back, but my curiosity has be satiated!

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    I worked at 2 pharmacies when I was younger. That symbol is very common for written prescriptions. It indictes how many tabs/pills/capsules to give.

    Vertical line with horizontal line on it with 1 dot is ONE pill/caps/tab

    2 vertical line with horizontal line and 2 dots is TWO

    3 vert with 3 dots is THREE

    I have seen up to 4 but don't recall any higher than that.

  • Quote
    I worked at 2 pharmacies when I was younger. That symbol is very common for written prescriptions. It indictes how many tabs/pills/capsules to give.

    Vertical line with horizontal line on it with 1 dot is ONE pill/caps/tab

    2 vertical line with horizontal line and 2 dots is TWO

    3 vert with 3 dots is THREE

    I have seen up to 4 but don't recall any higher than that.

    t

    i have seen weekly doses higher, but i am thinking they just write it out, ie ,methotrexate 7 tabs, po, q tuesday.

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