| Do Not Use | Rationale | Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
| > (greater than) < (less than) | Misinterpreted as the number "7" (seven) or the letter "L" Confused with one another | Write "greater than" Write "less than" |
| Abbreviated drug names | Misinterpreted because of similar abbreviations for multiple drugs | Write drug names in full |
| Apothecary units | Unfamiliar to many practitioners Confused with metric units | Use metric units |
| @ | Mistaken for the number "2" (two) | Write "at" |
| cc | Mistaken for "U" (units) when poorly written | Write "mL" or "ml" or "milliliters" ("mL" is preferred) |
| µg | Mistaken for mg (milligrams) resulting in 1000-fold overdose | Write "mcg" or "micrograms" |
© The Joint Commission, 2009; https://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/Do_Not_Use_List.pdf. Reprinted with permission.