The DC medical abbreviation usually means discharge or discontinue, two very different instructions that happen to share the same letters. It also appears after a name as Doctor of Chiropractic, and in heart care it can mean direct current, as in DC cardioversion.
Because discharge and discontinue are so easy to mix up, the slash form D/C is on the Institute for Safe Medication Practices list of error-prone abbreviations, and many hospitals ask staff to spell both words out. Below you will see how each meaning appears, why the mix up matters, and how to write it safely.
At a glance
Stands for
Discharge; discontinue; Doctor of Chiropractic; direct currentWritten as
DC, D/C, dc, d.c.Safer to write
Discharge or discontinue, spelled out in fullSafety lists
D/C is on the ISMP error-prone abbreviation listWhere you see it
Orders, nursing notes, med lists, signatures, cardiology notesDo not confuse with
DCCV, direct current cardioversion
What the DC medical abbreviation can mean
Four expansions cover nearly every use. Discharge means the patient is leaving a hospital, unit or service, as in "DC home." Discontinue means stop something, such as a medicine, an IV line, a catheter or a monitor. Doctor of Chiropractic is a professional degree, written after a name. Direct current describes the kind of electric shock used to reset certain heart rhythms.
Who wrote the line, and where, settles which one is meant, but the first two cause real trouble because they can both appear in the same order set. Older handwritten charts may show the d.c. medical abbreviation with periods, and it carries the same double meaning as DC does as a medical acronym in any other form.
Why D/C is on the error-prone list
D/C appears on the error-prone list that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices publishes, because it has been read the wrong way. The classic problem: a doctor writes a discharge medication list with "D/C" at the top, meaning these are the discharge medicines, and someone reads it as discontinue and stops them all. The reverse also happens, when a medicine meant to be stopped is kept going.
| Written | Meant | Misread as | Possible result |
|---|---|---|---|
| D/C meds | Discharge medicines | Discontinue medicines | Needed drugs stopped too soon |
| DC heparin | Discontinue heparin | Discharge on heparin | A stopped drug sent home |
The safer practice is simple: write discharge or discontinue as full words. Many electronic order systems already do this.
Reading DC in real orders
Nursing note: "DC telemetry, DC IV, pt DC to home with daughter at 1400." Here the first two mean discontinue, so the heart monitor and the IV come off, and the third means discharge, so the patient left at 2 in the afternoon. A spelled out version would avoid any pause: "Telemetry stopped, IV removed, discharged home at 1400."
When DC sits next to a device or drug, discontinue is the usual reading. When it sits next to a place, such as home, rehab or a SNF, it means discharge. Still, nurses and pharmacists are taught to call the prescriber whenever the meaning is not certain.
DC as Doctor of Chiropractic
After a name, DC is a degree, not an order. A Doctor of Chiropractic completes a chiropractic college program of about four years after undergraduate study and is licensed in every state. Chiropractors focus on the spine and musculoskeletal problems such as back and neck pain, often using spinal manipulation. A DC is a different credential from a medical doctor, written MD, or a doctor of osteopathic medicine, written DO, and chiropractors do not prescribe medicines.
DC as direct current in heart care
In cardiology, DC means direct current, the type of electric energy used in a planned shock to convert an abnormal heart rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation, back to a normal one. The procedure is often written DCCV. You might also see "DC shock" in older notes. This meaning only shows up in heart related notes, so it rarely causes confusion with discharge.
Questions to ask at discharge
Because the word discharge ties into so many instructions, ask the nurse to go through your written after visit summary or discharge papers line by line:
- Which of my medicines should I keep taking, and which were stopped?
- Are there any new medicines, and what are they for?
- Do I have follow up visits or tests booked?
Degrees such as DC, MD and DO are compared with many others in the overview of letters after a clinician's name.
If your discharge papers say DC next to a medicine and you are not sure whether that means keep it or stop it, call the pharmacist or the discharging unit before your next dose.
Frequently asked questions
What does DC mean in medical terms?
DC most often means discharge or discontinue. It can also mean Doctor of Chiropractic after a name, or direct current in heart rhythm care.
Is DC an abbreviation to avoid?
ISMP names the slash form D/C as error prone since discharge and discontinue get mixed up. The safer practice is to spell out the word you mean.
What does DC mean on a prescription or med list?
It may mean the medicine was discontinued, or it may label a discharge medication list. Because those are opposites, ask your pharmacist or care team to confirm.
What does DC mean when it follows a name?
Written after a name, DC is the Doctor of Chiropractic degree held by a licensed practitioner who focuses on the spine and joints. It is not the same degree as MD or DO.
What does DC home mean?
DC home means the patient is being discharged from the hospital to go home.