Pharmacy Technician Sig Codes | Part 1 | Pharmacy Technicians

Summary

This educational video script offers a comprehensive guide to medical abbreviations for aspiring pharmacy technicians. The instructor uses mnemonic devices to help memorize terms like 'a.s.' for left ear, 'a.d.' for right ear, and 'q.i.d.' for four times a day. The script also covers abbreviations for eye-related prescriptions, dosage frequencies, and instructions like 'p.r.n.' for as needed. It emphasizes the importance of memorization for pharmacy technicians and provides practical examples to aid learning.

Takeaways

• 👨‍🏫 The video is an educational tutorial aimed at helping students, particularly those preparing for a pharmacy technician role, to understand and memorize medical abbreviations.
• 🧠 The instructor uses mnemonic devices to aid memorization, associating abbreviations with everyday objects or phrases to make them more memorable.
• 👂 The 'A' in abbreviations often stands for 'audio', relating to the ear, with 'AS' signifying the left ear, 'AD' the right ear, and 'AU' both ears.
• 👁 The 'O' in abbreviations is associated with the eye, derived from 'optometrist', with 'OS' for the left eye, 'OD' for the right eye, and 'OU' for both eyes.
• 💊 'BID' stands for 'twice a day', 'TID' for 'three times a day', and 'QID' for 'four times a day', using the first letters of the respective words as a memory aid.
• 🍽 'PC' is an abbreviation for 'after meals', using 'cheese' as a mnemonic to remember that 'PC' stands for 'post cibum', Latin for 'after eating'.
• 🛌 'HS' stands for 'at bedtime', with 'hit the sack' used as a memorable phrase to associate 'HS' with the time of going to bed.
• 📝 'PRN' is an important abbreviation meaning 'as needed', which can apply to various situations, including medication schedules and staffing.
• ⏰ 'STAT' is a critical abbreviation indicating urgency, meaning 'immediately', and is used to signal that action should be taken right away.
• 📚 The video emphasizes the importance of memorization for pharmacy technicians, especially for abbreviations that are frequently used in the field.

Q & A

What is the meaning of the abbreviation 'AS' in medical prescriptions?

The abbreviation 'AS' stands for 'audio sinister', which refers to the left ear. It is derived from Latin and is used in prescriptions to indicate medication is to be applied in the left ear.

How do you remember the meaning of 'AS' in medical terms?

The 'AS' can be remembered by associating 'audio' with listening, which is done through the ears, and 'sinister' with the left side, as left-handed individuals are considered the 'smarter' group. Thus, 'AS' is for the left ear.

What does 'AD' signify in the context of medical prescriptions?

'AD' stands for 'audio dexter', which means the right ear. It is based on the Latin terms where 'audio' refers to hearing and 'dexter' is associated with the right side, as most people are right-handed.

What is the significance of 'AU' in medical abbreviations?

The abbreviation 'AU' represents 'audio uterque', which means both ears. It is used in prescriptions when the medication is to be applied to both ears.

What does 'OS' stand for when discussing medical prescriptions?

'OS' is an abbreviation for 'oculus sinister', which translates to the left eye in Latin. It is used to specify that the medication or treatment is for the left eye.

How would you remember the abbreviation 'OD' in medical terms?

The 'OD' can be remembered by relating 'oculus' to the eye and 'dexter' to the right side, indicating that it refers to the right eye.

What is meant by 'OU' in medical prescriptions?

'OU' stands for 'oculus uterque', which means both eyes in Latin. This abbreviation is used when the prescription is for both eyes.

What does the abbreviation 'BID' signify in medical contexts?

'BID' stands for 'bis in die', which translates to 'twice a day' in Latin. It indicates that the medication should be taken twice daily.

What is the meaning of 'TID' in medical prescriptions?

The abbreviation 'TID' stands for 'ter in die', meaning 'three times a day'. It instructs that the medication should be taken three times daily.

What does 'QID' represent in medical terms?

'QID' is an abbreviation for 'quater in die', which means 'four times a day'. It is used in prescriptions to indicate that the medication should be taken four times daily.

What is the significance of 'PRN' in medical prescriptions?

'PRN' stands for 'pro re nata', which translates to 'as needed' in Latin. It is used to indicate that the medication should be taken as required or as the situation demands.

What does 'HS' mean in the context of medical prescriptions?

'HS' is an abbreviation for 'hora somni', meaning 'at bedtime' in Latin. It is used to specify that the medication should be taken at bedtime.