Published
OK, here I go:
I was always taught that the abbreviation for oral meds is PO. I always used that and thought it was the standard. Our computer charting software uses I believe, Medispan (I think!) for the meds, and the abbreviation used for oral meds is OR. I asked why that is, and was told that when we first started testing the sotware the question was brought up to the makers of the program, who told us that many clinics and hospitals use OR for oral meds, and "no one has ever complained". So my question is.......what does your facility, be it hospital, clinic, homecare, anything at all-use to abbreviate oral meds???? (I am just curious)!!
sphinx, BSN, RN
326 Posts
Well, I guess it would maybe be understandle except the med records are for our use only.......they are entered into the computer, and from there they generate a printed order to be sent to the doctor to sign (and honestly, the print outs are what look so confusing with "OR" as the abbreviation, it looks like you are using the term as in "either this OR that". What I did for any lay person that might be assiting with meds in the home was either write a chart by hand (not using medical abbreviations!:) ) or make one up on the computer. I don't do private duty, they might do things differently, having to have an actual med sheet on hand for the private duty LPN to dispense meds. But they of course, are licensed and would understand the abbreviations used.
As for picking the program up cheap...I truly have no idea. I do know the product is/was still in beta, and we have been working bugs out for MONTHS. It also seems that it may have been designed for a smaller agency than ours. In any case, the med section is done by a seperate entity, which the charting software incorporates into itself.