Assistive Medication Administration Personnel (AMAP) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The letter "s" in medical shorthand is used to signify "without." This shorthand is derived from the Latin word "sine," which means "without." It is commonly utilized in medical prescriptions and documentation to indicate that a patient should not have a specific substance or condition. For example, if a prescription indicates "s" before a medication or dosage instruction, it implies that the medication should be given without a particular additive or component.

Understanding this shorthand is crucial for accurately interpreting medical instructions and ensuring appropriate patient care. In contrast, the other options represent different meanings; for example, "intramuscular" typically might be indicated by "IM," while "both ears" could be represented by "OU" (oculus uterque), and "drop" is often denoted by the letter "gtt." Recognizing these differences allows for clearer communication among healthcare professionals.