Types of Medication Orders

Types of Medication Orders

Routine Order

• A regular, ongoing order for a medication to be given at specified intervals until discontinued by a healthcare provider
• Example: "Aspirin 81 mg PO daily"

PRN Order (Pro Re Nata)

• An order for medication based on specific criteria, such as pain level or other symptoms
• Example: "Morphine 2 mg IV PRN for pain"

Stat Order

• An order for immediate medication administration, typically used in emergencies
• Example: "Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM stat"

Single (One-Time) Order

• An order for a medication to be given only once at a specified time
• Example: "Lorazepam 1 mg PO one-time before surgery"

Standing Order

• Pre-established and approved orders for medications to be administered under specific conditions
• Example: "Acetaminophen 500 mg PO every 6 hours for fever greater than 100.4°F"

Titration Order

• An order in which the dose of the medication is adjusted based on the patient's response or specific parameters
• Example: "Insulin infusion, titrate to maintain blood glucose between 100-150 mg/dL"

Tapering Order

• An order in which the dose of the medication is gradually decreased over a specified period
• Example: "Prednisone 10 mg PO daily for one week, then 5 mg daily for one week, then stop"

Automatic Stop Order

• An order that specifies a medication will be discontinued after a certain period or number of doses
• Example: "Ceftriaxone 1 g IV every 24 hours for seven days (automatic stop after seven days)"

Telephone or Verbal Order

• An order given by a healthcare provider over the phone or verbally in person, often used in urgent situations
• Example: "Nurse receives a verbal order: 'Administer 10 mg of morphine IV stat.'"

Electronic Order

• An order entered and transmitted electronically via a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system
• Example: "Metformin 500 mg PO BID ordered through the hospital's electronic health record system"