A nurse is receiving a telephone prescription from a provider for a client who requires additional medication for pain control. Which of the following entries should the nurse make in the medical record?

A. “Morphine 3 mg subcutaneous every 4 hr PRN for pain.": This entry uses correct and safe medication documentation practices. It includes the drug name, dose without trailing zero, full route written out, frequency, and indication, reducing the risk of misinterpretation. B. “Morphine 3 mg SC q 4 hr PRN for pain,": Abbreviations like “SC” and “q” are discouraged by The Joint Commission due to the potential for misreading. The full words "subcutaneous" and "every" are preferred for clarity and safety. C. “Morphine 3.0 mg sub q every 4 hr PRN for pain.": The trailing zero (“3.0 mg”) increases the risk of dosage error if the decimal point is not seen. Safe practice omits trailing zeros in medication doses. D. “Morphine 3 mg SQ every 4 hr PRN for pain.": The abbreviation “SQ” can be mistaken for “SL” (sublingual) or “5Q,” leading to errors. The route should be written out fully as “subcutaneous” to ensure clear communication.