Avoiding Potential Medication Errors Associated with Non-intuitive Medication Abbreviations.

BACKGROUND Pharmaceutical companies use a variety of abbreviations to denote short- and long-acting medications. Errors involving the administration of these medications are frequently reported. OBJECTIVES To evaluate comprehension rates for abbreviations used to denote short- and long-acting medications and to evaluate whether changes to medication labels could reduce potential errors in the selection and administration of medications. METHODS In phase 1 of the study, nursing staff were asked to define 4 abbreviations and then to categorize them by release rate. In phase 2, a simulation exercise, nursing staff were asked if it would be appropriate to administer a medication illustrated in a photograph (oxycodone CR 5-mg blister pack) on the basis of information highlighted in a screen shot of an electronic medication administration record (order for oxycodone 5 mg). Three different presentations were used to identify the medication in the medication administration record and on the drug label. RESULTS In phase 1, 10 (28%) of 36 nursing staff members knew what all 4 abbreviations meant, and 14 (39%) correctly classified all 4 abbreviations as indicating a short- or a long-acting medication. In the simulation exercise (phase 2), labelling changes reduced the likelihood of a potential medication administration error. CONCLUSIONS Most abbreviations used to indicate short- versus long-acting medications were not correctly understood by study participants. Of more concern was the incorrect interpretation of some abbreviations as indicating the opposite release rate (e.g., "ER" interpreted as meaning "emergency release", rather than "extended release", with incorrect classification as a short-acting medication). This evaluation highlighted the potential consequences of using non-intuitive abbreviations to differentiate high-risk medications having different release rates.