ā
before
Aa
Of each
AAOx3
awake alert oriented to person, time, place
Abd
abdomen, abdominal
ABG
arterial blood gases
Abn
abnormal
a.c.
before meals
ADA
American Diabetes Association
ADL
activities of daily living
ad lib
as desired or as directed
AFB
acid-fast bacillus
AKA
above knee amputation
a.m.
before noon, morning
AMA
against medical advice
amt.
amount
ASA
aspirin
ASCVD
arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
ASHD
arteriosclerotic heart disease
Ax
axillary
B or bil.
bilateral
B/A
backache
BBS
bilateral breath sounds
B.E.
barium enema
Bid or BID
twice a day
BK
below knee
BKA
below knee amputation
BM
bowel movement
BP, B/P
blood pressure
BPH
benign prostatic hypertrophy
BR
bed rest
BRP
bathroom privileges
BS
breath sounds
BS
Bedside
BSC
bedside commode
BUN
blood urea nitrogen
Bx, bx
biopsy
č (line on top)
with
CA
cancer, carcinoma
CAD
coronary artery disease
Caps
capsules
Cath
catheter, catheterization
CBB
complete bed bath
CBC
complete blood count
CBR
complete bed rest
CBS
chronic brain syndrome
CC or cc
chief complaint
CDI
clean, dry, intact
CHF
congestive heart failure
circ. ck.
circulation check
Cm
centimeter
CNS
central nervous system
c/o
complains of
CO2
carbon dioxide
cont'd
Continued
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPT
chest physical therapy
Cr.
creatinine level
CRD
chronic respiratory disease
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
CT
computerized tomography
CVA
cerebrovascular accident
CXR
chest x-ray
D & C
dilation and curettage
Diab.
diabetes, diabetic
DOA
dead on arrival
DOB
date of birth
DOE
dyspnea on exertion
DM
diabetes mellitus
DTR
deep tendon reflex
DT's
Delirium tremens
Dx
diagnosis
EBL
estimated blood loss
ECHO
echocardiogram
ED
emergency department
EEG
electroencephalogram
e.g.
for example
EKG, ECG
electrocardiograph
Elix
elixir
ENT
ear, nose, throat
EOM
extraocular movement
ER or ED
emergency room or emergency department
etiol
etiology
ETOH
alcohol
exp. lap.
Exploratory laparotomy
F.
Fahrenheit
FPP
Fall Prevention Program
Fr. or fr
French
freq
frequency, frequently
FUO
fever of undetermined (or unknown) origin
fx
fracture
g or GM
gram
GB
gallbladder
GFR
glomerular filtration rate
GI
gastrointestinal
gm
gram
gr
grain
gtt
drop
GU
genitourinary
GYN
gynecology
H/A
headache
hb, hgb
hemoglobin
Hct
hematocrit
HEENT
head, eyes, ears, nose, throat
HL
heparin lock
HOB
head of bed
hosp.
hospital
Hr, hr
hour
H2O2
hydrogen peroxide
H2O
water
H&P
history and physical
HR
heart rate
ht
height
HTN/HBP
hypertension
Hx
history
i or x1
one
ICU
intensive care unit
I &D
incise and drain
FBS
fasting blood sugar
FHT
fetal heart tones
fl
fluid
fly.
family
FOB
foot of bed
inj.
injection
I & O
intake and output
IPPB
intermittent positive pressure breathing
Irreg.
irregular
iss
one and one half
IUD
intrauterine device
IV
intravenous
IVF
intravenous fluids
IVPB
intravenous piggyback
TJC
The Joint Commission
Kg or kg
kilogram
KUB
kidney, ureter, bladder
KVO, TKO
keep vein open
L
liter
L (circled) or lt
left
Lab
laboratory
lat.
lateral
lb or #
pound
LG
left gluteal
lg.
large
liq.
liquid
LLL
left lower lobe
LLE
left lower extremity
LLQ
left lower quadrant
LMP
last menstrual period
LOC
level of consciousness or laxative of choice
LOFA
loss of functional abilities
maew
moves all extremities well
mcg
microgram
M.D or MD
medical doctor
IDDM
insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
ii or x2
two
IM
intramuscular
Inc
incision
inf.
infusion
ml
milliliter
mod.
moderate
NC or nc
nasal cannula
NG
nasogastric
NKA
no known allergies
Noct
night, at night
NPO
nothing by mouth
NSR
normal sinus rhythm
Nsy
nursery
N & V
nausea and vomiting
NWB
non weight bearing
o, os
orally, by mouth
O2
Oxygen
OB
obstetric
occas.
occasional
OBS
organic brain syndrome
OOB
out of bed (up and about)
OP
outpatient
OR
operating room
ORIF
open reduction internal fixation
O.T.
occupational therapy
OTC
over the counter
Oz
ounce
Oz
ounce
p (line above)
after
p.c
after meals
PCN
penicillin
P.E.
pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edema, physical exam
PEARL
pupils equal and reactive to light
Ped.
pediatric
Per
by
Med
medical, medicine
mEq
milliequivalent
mEq/L
milliequivalent per liter
mg, mgm
milligram
M.I. or MI
myocardial infarction
PND
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
P.O.
phone order
po
by mouth
POD
post operative day
Postop
postoperative
PP
postpartum
PPD
postpartal days
Prep
to prepare for
prn
as needed
Psych
psychiatric
Pt
patient
pt.
pint
P.T.
physical therapy
PT
prothrombin time
PTT
partial thromboplastin time
Q
every
Qh
every hour
Qid
four times a day
Qs
a sufficient quantity
qt.
quart
R
rectal
RA
rheumatoid arthritis
RBC
red blood cell count
RDS
respiratory distress syndrome
Reg.
regular
Rh
rhesus blood factor
RLE
right lower extremity
PERRL
Pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light
PERRLA
pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation
P.I.D
pelvic inflammatory disease
p.m.
afternoon or evening
PMH
past medical history
P.M.I
point of maximal impulse
RUQ
right upper quadrant
Rx
prescription, treatment
š (line on top)
Without
SGOT
serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
signif
significant
SL
sublingual
sm.
Snall
SOB
shortness of breath
sol.
solution
S/P
status post
spec.
specimen
SR (arrow down)
side rail down
SR (arrow up)
side rail up
ss (line above) or ss
one half
S & S, S/S
signs and symptoms
Staph.
Staphylococcus
Stat
immediately
supp.
suppository
Surg.
surgery
Sym
symmetrical
T., tbs
tablespoon
tab
tablet
TAH
total abdominal hysterectomy
TBA
to be absorbed
TED
trademark for anti embolism
TED hose
anti-embolism stockings
TEMP
temperature
RLL
right lower lobe
RLQ
right lower quadrant
RN
registered nurse
RNA
Registered nurse anesthetist
ROM
range of motion
ROS
review of systems
RSR
regular sinus rhythm
R (circled), Rt
right
R/T
related to
RTO
return to office
TURP
transurethral resection of the prostate
TVH
total vaginal hysterectomy
TWB or TDWB
touchdown weight bearing
tx.
treatment
UA
urinalysis
U.T.I
urinary tract infection
UO
urine output
URI
upper respiratory infection
Vag.
vaginal
vit
vitamin
V.O, v.o.
verbal order
vol.
volume
Vs
visited
VS
vital signs
TENS
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
TIA
transient ischemic attack
Tid
three times a day
TKO, KVO
to keep open/keep vein open
TLC
tender loving care
TM
tympanic membrane
T & M
type and match
t.o.
telephone order
TPR
temperature, pulse, respiration
t, tsp
teaspoon
WBC
white blood cell count
W/C
wheelchair
WD
warm and dry
W.D., W.N. (WD:WN)
well developed, well nourished
WNL
within normal limits
W.O
Written order
Wt.
weight, weigh
W/U
work up
X
times
X-sect
cross section
yel.
yellow
y.o., y/o
years old