qn
Medical abbreviation · Prescription
| Stands for | Quaque nocte (every night) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
qn stands for Quaque nocte (every night), a prescription abbreviation.
Old Latin instruction for a nightly dose. ISMP includes it on its list of error-prone abbreviations because the "n" has been read as "h", turning a once-nightly order into an hourly one.
Example: An old discharge note listed "temazepam 15 mg qn", which the pharmacist confirmed as nightly at bedtime.
Usage notes
ISMP recommends writing "nightly" or "at bedtime" instead. The term is rare in modern orders; its UK cousin "o.n." (omni nocte, every night) is also falling out of use as British guidance encourages English directions without abbreviations.
Related abbreviations
More prescription abbreviations
- qAM – Every morning
- QD – Quaque die (every day, once daily)
- qds – Quater die sumendum (to be taken four times a day)
- qh – Quaque hora (every hour)
- QHS – Quaque hora somni (every night at bedtime)
- QID – Quater in die (four times a day)
- QOD – Quaque altera die (every other day)
- qPM – Every evening
- qty – Quantity
- qwk – Every week (once weekly)
- Rf – Refills
- Rx – Recipe (take; prescription)
See all 77 prescription abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.