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"

This quiz covers different types of medication orders used in healthcare settings, including routine, PRN, and stat orders.