Which of the following is a complete drug order?

• A. Aspirin 81 mg PO daily
• B. Multivitamin
• C. Vitamin D 2000 units PO
• D. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (Cipro) 500 mg PO

Answer: (A)

A complete drug order clearly tells what to give, how much, how to give it, and how often. The essential pieces are the drug name, the dose, the route, and the frequency (and sometimes the duration).

Aspirin 81 mg PO daily includes all of these: the drug name (Aspirin), the dose (81 mg), the route (PO), and the frequency (daily). Because every one of the key elements is stated, this is a complete order.

The other options omit at least one element. A multivitamin doesn’t specify a dose or a frequency, so it’s not a complete order. Vitamin D 2000 units PO has the dose and route but lacks a stated frequency. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride 500 mg PO has the dose and route but does not specify how often it should be taken.