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PTCB PTCE Exam - Topic 4 Question 120 Discussion

Actual exam question for PTCB's PTCE exam
Question #: 120
Topic #: 4
[All PTCE Questions]

According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), which of the following is an approved abbreviation?

Show Suggested Answer Hide Answer
Suggested Answer: D

TheInstitute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)maintains a list oferror-prone abbreviationsthat shouldnot be usedin medication orders to prevent misinterpretation and medication errors.

Analysis of the Answer Choices:Abbreviation

Meaning

ISMP Recommendation

U

Units

Do NOT use Can be mistaken for '0' or '4' (e.g., 10U could be misread as 100).Use'unit'instead.

AD

Right ear

Do NOT use Can be confused with 'OD' (right eye).Use'right ear'instead.

AU

Both ears

Do NOT use Can be confused with 'OU' (both eyes).Use'both ears'instead.

gtt

Drop

Accepted Common and not considered error-prone.

Since'gtt' for drop is not on ISMP's 'Do Not Use' list, it is the correct answer.

ISMP List of Error-Prone Abbreviations-- Confirms that 'U,' 'AD,' and 'AU' should not be used in prescriptions.

Joint Commission 'Do Not Use' List-- Prohibits 'U' and similar abbreviations to prevent dosing errors.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline-- Covers error prevention strategies, including abbreviation safety.

Key Reference:


by Chana at Jan 05, 2026, 05:16 AM

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Helga
3 days ago
A) U for units is the way to go, no doubt about it.
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Ciara
8 days ago
D) gtt for drop is the approved abbreviation according to ISMP.
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Alisha
13 days ago
C) AU for both ears is the correct answer.
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Kattie
18 days ago
I thought "AU" for both ears was okay, but I can't recall if it was on the list of approved ones.
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Merilyn
23 days ago
I practiced a question like this where "gtt" for drop was mentioned as acceptable. I hope that’s still true!
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Frederic
29 days ago
I’m not sure about "AD" for right ear, but I feel like it’s one of those abbreviations that can lead to errors.
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Jettie
1 month ago
I think I remember that "U" for units is actually not approved because it can be confused with "0" or "4."
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Bulah
1 month ago
Ugh, I'm a bit unsure here. I'll have to use the process of elimination to narrow it down.
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Blair
1 month ago
Ah, I'm pretty confident about this one. The ISMP guidelines should have covered these common abbreviations.
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Sylvie
2 months ago
This seems straightforward, but I want to double-check my knowledge. I better not rush into an answer.
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Georgene
2 months ago
Okay, I know the ISMP has guidelines for safe abbreviations. I'll have to review those to make sure I pick the right one.
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Madalyn
2 months ago
Hmm, I think I remember learning about approved medical abbreviations in class. Let me think this through carefully.
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