The PTCB outline effective January 6, 2026 places sig codes, abbreviations, terminology, and calculations under Order Entry and Processing. It gives no separate percentage for sig codes, so a claim that they make up a particular share of the exam needs more evidence.
Some abbreviations belong on the “Do Not Use” list
You may need to recognize an abbreviation that you should avoid writing. The Joint Commission’s “Do Not Use” list, for example, includes QD and QOD because they can be confused. Its recommended wording is “daily” and “every other day.”
Keep the meaning and the safety guidance together
For each abbreviation in your course material, record its meaning and any restriction on its use. Keeping both beside the same entry helps you avoid treating an old shorthand list as a model for documentation.
If a practice question is ambiguous, check the explanation and its source. At work, follow your pharmacy’s clarification procedure whenever prescription wording is unclear.
Correction to an earlier version
The earlier version described sig codes as heavily weighted and presented unsafe shorthand without enough context. Those claims and the unqualified list have been removed.