What it means
In everyday speech, ER means the emergency room, which hospitals now usually call the emergency department (ED). After a drug name, as in "metoprolol ER", it means extended-release: the tablet or capsule lets the drug out slowly over many hours. In cell biology, ER also stands for the endoplasmic reticulum.
For the nurse
Extended-release (ER) products must be swallowed whole: crushing, chewing or splitting them can release the whole dose at once. If you are unsure whether a product can be crushed, check with pharmacy.
Related terms
triage
Sorting clients by how urgently they need care, to decide who is seen first.
hydrocodone
An opioid pain medicine taken by mouth, often combined with acetaminophen in one tablet.