Medication order correct or no

[Mqnurse13]

So I just started working at a facility but the medications are written differently than I’m used to.
500mg, 2tabs, twice a day.

whats correct 2 250mg tabs or 2 500mg tabs?
in hospital setting it always says total mg to be given not total tablets.
the reason I’m asking is because the nurse training me says it’s 2 500mg tabs equalling 1000mg. The doctor also verified and said yes 1000mg however all his orders are written like this and I’m uncomfortable with it, it’s confusing and I’m not sure it’s written according to standards? Can I get in trouble for giving 1000mg in this case sense it states 500 mg. I’m not able to clarify every order he’s writing this way, there are way too many.
Thanks!

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

17 hours ago, Orion81RN said:

The problem is certain attitudes dissuade some who have questions from even posting here. Questions, that if left unasked, could lead to harm.

Don't let that dissuade you, and don't listen to those that are so negative. We are here to learn from heach other and to get advice from more experienced nurses. Those that are rude and disrespectful, or think that they know everything are the ones that we need to be careful of in our profession.

I am all about asking questions, even after 35 years of nursing experience in many specialties of nursing. I never claim to know everything, in fact, I still learn every day! As I tell my administrators, who are not medical, when they are upset with a decision I make because they have no Idea about the liability I have to worry about being the only health care professional in a building with 2,000 students and 250 faculty and staff... "If you make a mistake, it's easy for you to fix. If I make a mistake, someone can be harmed, and harmed badly, or even die". So you just keep asking those questions Orion, you will be better off for doing so!

[AnaRho]

I haven't even started nursing school and;

1) the doc clarified it as 1000?

and then

2) the experienced lot of nurses here say 500?

there is an issue.

Good luck OP. I am almost dreading the spring semester now.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I would give 1 Gram po BID.

All of this ridiculousness because the doctor can't write a proper order.

And yes, it is wrong to be rude to each other here.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

Long term care, write the dose only! Pharmacy decides the tablets to send. Have patient with two different orders for oxy, same dose, but pharmacy had to ship 5 mg instead of 10 mgs..... Lasix 60 could be dispensed as 3 20s or 1 20 and one 40. Etc.

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

It took me forever to transition to the way orders were written in long term care versus the hospital. We would write tylenol 500 mg tabs give 2 tabs = 1000 mg....I would read yours as 1000 mg total but thats after 10 years in LTC. it takes some getting used to so just call and clarify.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I would read that order as give 2 tabs 500 mg each for a total of 1000 mg per dose but I can see where there is a lot of room for error when an order is written like that. Maybe if enough nurses call this provider asking for clarification for every order that is written like that he'll start writing them correctly. But then maybe pigs can really fly.

[Americanlvn]

I’d stay with the mg. Look to see how many mg each tab is.