UNIT 3.3-1: Medication Terminology

9/5/2025 Pharmacology

Lesson Instructions

Take notes on each slide. Answer the questions as they arise.

I will check your notes upon my return on Monday, 9/8! That's a grade, so please don't slack :)

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a purpose of the Medication Safety Board and ISMP guidelines?

• To increase the use of abbreviations in prescriptions

• To reduce medication errors by providing guidelines and recommendations

• To encourage the use of look-alike or sound-alike drug names

• To limit communication among healthcare workers

Open Ended

Why is it important for healthcare professionals to be aware of medication terminology and abbreviations?

Multiple Select

Select all the correct statements about Tall Man lettering and its use in medication safety.

• Tall Man lettering uses capitalized letters to highlight differences in similar drug names.

• Tall Man lettering is recommended by the FDA and ISMP.

• Tall Man lettering should only be used for over-the-counter medications.

• Tall Man lettering helps reduce medication errors.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following practices helps prevent confusion between look-alike or sound-alike (LASA) medications according to ISMP requirements?

• Using lowercase letters for all drug names

• Using Tall Man lettering to capitalize differences in drug names

• Avoiding the use of drug names altogether

• Writing drug names in cursive

Drag and Drop

A handwritten order states: Morphine .5 mg IV q2h PRN pain.



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.50 mg

0.5 mg

00.5 mg

5 mg

.5 mg

05 mg

Drag and Drop

The order says: Prednisone 10 mg QOD x 4 wk.



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mg

every other day

milligram

wk

QOD

weeks

Drag and Drop

The prescription reads: Levothyroxine 50 mcg QD.



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mcg

daily

microgram

Levothyroxine

QD

Levophed

Drag and Drop

The chart notes: Vitamin D 1,000 IU daily.



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Vitamin

international unit

daily

IU

OD

Vit

Drag and Drop

A physician orders: Heparin 5,000 U SQ BID.



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sq

subcutaneous

unit

twice daily

U

BID

Drag and Drop

Order: Give Metoprolol 50 mg OD



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OD

mg

milligram

daily

over dose

Drag and Drop

Order: Amoxicillin 500 mg per os TID x 10 days



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per os

TID

three times a day

orally

x

times

Drag and Drop

Order: Zolpidem 10 mg qhs for sleep



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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

mg

milligrams

qhs

at bedtime

Drag and Drop

Order: Give 500 mg MgSO₄ PO q12h.



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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

MgSO₄

magnesium sulfate

mg

milligram

PO

per os

q

every

Open Ended

Mr. Johnson is prescribed MS 4 mg IV q4h PRN pain.

Which abbreviation should not be used, and what should be written instead?

Open Ended

Do you have any questions or would you like to learn more about safe medication practices and abbreviations?