What does STAT mean on a prescription?
STAT means immediately. A STAT order is given once, right away, without waiting for the next scheduled dose or round.
- Means:
- immediately
- From:
- statim
- Type:
- Pharmacy instruction
- Also written:
- stat, STAT
What it means in practice
STAT is from the Latin statim, “at once”. It is mostly a hospital instruction — a STAT dose, a STAT blood test, a STAT chest X-ray — signalling that the task takes priority over routine work. It implies a single action, not a repeating schedule.
Example on a prescription
Furosemide 40 mg IV STAT
Give one 40 mg dose of furosemide intravenously immediately.
Commonly confused with
- PRNPRN is as needed and can repeat. STAT is once, now.
Frequently asked questions
What does STAT mean in a hospital?
Do it immediately. A STAT order jumps the queue — whether that is a medicine, a blood test or a scan.
Is a STAT dose repeated?
No. STAT means one dose straight away. Anything ongoing is written as a separate scheduled or PRN order.
Related abbreviations
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This page explains prescription notation for general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescriber or pharmacist. If a label is unclear or differs from what you were told, check with your pharmacy before taking the medicine.