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Educate staff on how to comply with JCAHO abbreviations

Ambulatory Safety Monitor, January 7, 2004

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Get staff in the habit of spelling out nine common abbreviations or acronyms in handwritten documents. As of January 1, all JCAHO-accredited organizations must comply with the list of do-not-use abbreviations.

The full list of abbreviations is available under the National Patient Safety Goals frequently asked questions at the JCAHO's Web site, www.jcaho.org.

Try these three quick strategies to help develop your list and get staff to comply:

1. Explanations are a good first step. Help physicians understand the importance of writing out abbreviations. Explain that problems have occurred when people have used these abbreviations. For example, organizations can no longer use "u" for units. Someone could misinterpret a handwritten "u" as zero, four, or cc, which could affect the medication dosage.

2. Room for error. JCAHO surveyors will mark organizations as compliant through the end of 2004 as long as most charts do not contain unacceptable abbreviations. This will give facilities time to train staff and get policies in place.

3. Monitor abbreviation use regularly. Conduct random chart audits and review all physician orders and nursing notes. Inform staff of the results and what improvements they must make. If a physician continues to use the unacceptable abbreviations, address the issue with the medical executive committee and ask the committee to meet with the physician.

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