Help deciphering med order, please

[kk2000]

I am looking through my meds after doing chart check earlier today. I cannot decipher the following order. NTB Q6 (6, 12, 18, 24).

I understand the the every 6 part, but did I write down the med wrong? Am I missing something here? Please help, I am feeling kind of inadequate here. This is my first clinical day with this particular instuctoe at a new facility and I really need to get things right.

Thanks so much.

Karen

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

NTG is the abbreviation for nitroglycerin. Normal dosing is q8h. Did you find out what NTB was?

Remember, just because the proper abbreviation for a med is one thing doesn't mean that the MD who wrote the order cares about that. I see all kinds of crazy made up abbreviations that docs use.....

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

R/O MI. hx of chest pain, diabetes, high cholesterol

lopressor

lovenox

plavix

ASA

altace

trental

synthroid

protonix

lipitor

Thanks so much for helping!

The order was fairly legible, could it be NTP?

Karen

Just guessing here:

Given the history, it sounds like your patient is being treated for A-Fib (lopressor, lovenox), MI (ASA, plavix) and Angina (NTP) as well as some possible GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux) or some digestive problem (protonix), as well as hypothyroidism (synthroid), HTN (altace), and intermittant claudication (Trental). Oh, and of course, high cholesterol (Lipitor).

I'd guess the patient is >65. Except that he/she is a diabetic, so could be younger....

No insulin or oral diabetic meds?? Hmmm.... diet-controlled.

*** don't mind me, i'm thinking out loud here ***

So I'd go along with the NTP as Nitropaste--however, you should have a dosage, like someone else said, of 1/2" to 2" in addition to the dosage times.

If you were the patient's nurse, that order is incomplete and would definitely warrant a call to the doc for clarification.

PS Our dosing schedules for NTP are either q6 or q8 unless it's a Nitro-Dur patch, for which there's an on/off schedule (usually).

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

If you were the patient's nurse, that order is incomplete and would definitely warrant a call to the doc for clarification.

PS Our dosing schedules for NTP are either q6 or q8 unless it's a Nitro-Dur patch, for which there's an on/off schedule (usually).

This is the most important point of all. If unsure, always seek clarification from the primary care provider