ISMP
Medical abbreviation · Pharmacy
| Stands for | Institute for Safe Medication Practices |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
ISMP stands for Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a pharmacy abbreviation.
US nonprofit devoted to preventing medication errors. It runs a voluntary error-reporting program, publishes safety newsletters and maintains widely used lists, including its List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations and its list of high-alert medications.
Example: ISMP recommends writing "subcut" and "daily" instead of SC and QD.
Usage notes
Founded by pharmacist Michael R. Cohen, incorporated as a nonprofit in 1994 and based in Pennsylvania, ISMP became an affiliate of ECRI in 2020. Its error-prone abbreviations list goes further than The Joint Commission's official "Do Not Use" list, covering items such as qhs, D/C, TIW, AD/AS/AU and OD/OS/OU. ISMP Canada is a separate organization with a similar mission.
Related abbreviations
More pharmacy abbreviations
- HD – Hazardous drug
- HFA – Hydrofluoroalkane
- HTS – Hypertonic saline
- ILE – Intravenous lipid emulsion
- IND – Investigational New Drug application
- IR – Immediate release
- KVO – Keep vein open
- LA – Long-acting
- LAFW – Laminar airflow workbench
- LASA – Look-alike, sound-alike
- LDD – Limited distribution drug
- LR – Lactated Ringer's solution
See all 134 pharmacy abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.