Which abbreviation specifically refers to Penicillin?

• A. By mouth
• B. Glucose tolerance test
• C. Gestational age (OB)
• D. PCN

Answer: (D)

Abbreviations for medications help you quickly identify which drug is involved. PCN is the standard shorthand for Penicillin, the antibiotic. You’ll see PCN used on orders and in medication records to indicate that penicillin is the drug being given, rather than describing how it’s taken or referencing a different type of test or measurement. In this set, the other terms refer to “by mouth” (a route of administration), a glucose tolerance test (a diagnostic test), and gestational age (a pregnancy metric), none of which names a drug. So PCN uniquely denotes Penicillin.