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Correct, "Batrim" was my error, the poster. I meant Bactrim. I am so encouraged by the responses here.

At the start of my 3-11 shift last Sunday, I found the RN Supervisor had trascribed a telephone antibiotic order to read: "Batrim PO BID X 7 days for UTI." I was informed during the shift change report that the patient who previously had no trouble swallowing whole pills, had difficulty taking the bigger antibiotic tablet. The morning shift nurse had to break the tablet. I at the time assumed the patient was on Batrim DS which is bigger than the SS variety. I observed that the MAR just indicated "Bactrim." I notified the outgoing Supervisor responsible for the transcription, and suggested the order needed to specify either Bactrim SS, or Batrim DS. My concern was that the order was not specific, and was open to interpratation with the possible risk that the patient could get the wrong medication. Typically, orders received during the weekend require we obtain the medications from the emergency box awaiting pharmacy delivery of the rest of the medication package on Monday. Both the outgoing Supervising RN, and the 3-11 Supervisor insisted "Bactrim" meant "Bactrim SS." I tried to point that years ago I worked in a LTC facility who were taken to task by state surveyors for writing a Bactrim order that was not specific blaming the transcription for an apparent medication error. The outgoing Supervising RN retorted, "You work here now. I have done this for 30 years, and I am not about to do it any different." A Hospice Consultant RN who was nearby also agreed with them that the order as written was correct. Basically all three RNs said "if" the doctor wanted Bactrim DS, he would have said so, and that "all nurses" know Batrim is Bactrim SS, and not Bactrim DS. I posit to them that using the same logic would they be comfortable transribing an order as "Tylenol" without specifying the strength. I was surprised when all three RNs told me an order transcribed as "Regular Tylenol" was correct because it meant "Tylenol 650mg." They said they write such orders all the time. Something about this bothers me. Medication orders that are ambigious, non specific, and are open to interpratation inevitably lead to medication errors, or near misses. Given their attitude, I can't even begin to imagine the possible damage these nurses could have done in their 70 + combined years of nursing practice. Who is right in this matter?