National Patient Safety Goals: Prohibited Abbreviations (Resolution No. 100-9-04)

April 28, 2004 2:16 PM Topics: Resolutions

Resolution No. 100-9-04
Title: National Patient Safety Goals: Prohibited Abbreviations
Action: Passed

Whereas, all health care professionals, especially pharmacists, have as their primary objective the provision of optimal patient care, demonstrated by improved patient outcomes, it follows that improved written communication between health care providers is very necessary to achieve the objective; and

Whereas, various accrediting bodies for health systems have identified potential patient safety problems related to the use of specific abbreviations, acronyms and symbols used in written communications and have developed “DO NOT USE” lists of these abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NABP and the boards of pharmacy endorse and encourage communication of the prohibited lists to all appropriate health care providers and educators; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NABP and the boards of pharmacy encourage all health care providers and educators to utilize the lists and demonstrate efforts to comply with the lists; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NABP and the boards of pharmacy encourage, endorse, and support the efforts of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), and other national patient safety groups to instill and perpetuate the concepts of prohibited abbreviations, acronyms and symbols in communication between health care providers and educators.

(Resolution passed at NABP’s 100th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL)