@
at
a(with a line over it)
before
A&D
admission and discharge
A&P
anterior and posterior, anatomy and physiology
aa(with a line over it)
of each
Ab
abortion
abd
abdomen, abdominal
ac
before meals
AD
right ear
ad lib
as desired
ADL
activities of daily living
adm
admission
AED
automated external defibrillator
AIDS
acquired immune deficiency syndrome
am,AM
morning, before noon
amb
ambulate, walk
amt
amount
AP
apical pulse
approx
approximately
AS
left ear
as tol
as tolerated
ASA
Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin)
ASAP
as soon as possible
AU
both ears
AV
arteriovenous, atrioventricular
AX
axilla, axillary, armpit
a-, an-
not, decreased
bi-
two
-cyte
cell
-cyst
bag or bladder
adeno-
gland
arthro-
joints
B&B
bowel and bladder training
BE
barium enema
bid
twice a day
bil
bilateral
Bl
blood
Bl Wk
blood work
BM
bowel movement, bone marrow
BP
blood pressure
BR
bed rest
BRP
bathroom privileges
BS
blood sugar
BSC, bsc
bedside commode
Bx, bx
biopsy
� C
degrees Celsius (Centigrade)
c(with a line over it), w/
with
Ca
Calcium
CA
cancer
cal
calorie
Cap
capsule
CAT
computerized axial tomography
Cath
catheter, catheterize
CBC
complete blood count
CBR
complete bed rest
cc
cubic centimeter
CC
chief complaint
CCU
coronary care unit, critical care unit
cyst-
bladder
dys-
painful, difficult
-ectomy
removal of a part
-emia
blood
cardio-
heart
dermato-
skin
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CEU
continuing education unit
CHD
coronary heart disease
CHF
congestive heart failure
CHO
carbohydrate
chol
cholesterol
CICU
cardiac/coronary intensive care unit
ck
check
cl liq
clear liquids
cm
centimeter
CNS
central nervous system
co, c/o
complains of
CO2
carbon dioxide
cont
continued
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPK
creatine phosphokinase
CPR
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CS
central supply or service
C&S
culture and sensitivity
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
CSR
central supply room
CT
computed tomography
CVA
cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
CVD
cardiovascular disease
Cx
cervix, complication, complaint
d
day
DAT
diet as tolerated
gyn-
woman
hemo-
blood
-gram
tracing made by a machine
-itis
inflammation
gastro-
stomach
meno
menstruation
D/C. dc, disc
discontinue, discharge
del
delivery
Dept
department
DHHS
Department of Health and Human Services
dil
dilute, dissolve
DM
diabetes mellitus
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
DNR
do not resuscitate
DOA
dead on arrival
DOB
date of birth
DOD
date of death
Dr
doctor
dr
dram, drainage
DRG
diagnostic related group
drg, drsg, dsg
dressing
DTs
delirium tremens
D/W
dextrose in water
Dx, dx
diagnosis
EBL
estimated blood loss
ECG, EKG
electrocardiogram
ED
emergency department
EEG
electroencephalogram
EENT
eyes, ears, nose, throat
EHR/EMR
Electronic health record and Electronic medical record.
EMS
emergency medical services
EMT
emergency medical technician
hyper-
above/ higher
hypo-
below/ under
-logy
study or science of
-meter
measure
myo-
muscle
crani-
skull
ENT
ear, nose, throat
ER
emergency room
et, etiol
etiology (cause of disease)
Ex, exam
examination
Exp
exploratory, expiration
ext
extract, extraction, external
�F
degrees Fahrenheit
FBS
fasting blood sugar
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
Fe
iron
FF, FFl
force fluids
FH
family history
FHR
fetal heart rate
Fl, fl
fluid
ft
foot
Fx, Fr
fracture
gal
gallon
GB
gallbladder
GI
gastrointestinal
Gm, g
gram
got, gtt, gtts
drop, drops
GU
genitourinary
Gyn
gynecology
H
Hydrogen
H20
water
Path-
disease
Poly-
many, much
-oma
tumor
-ostomy
surgical opening
Hyster-
uterus
Pneumo-
lung
H2O2
hydrogen peroxide
HA
headache
HBP
high blood pressure
HBV
hepatitis B virus
Hg
Mercury
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HIV
human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS virus)
HMO
health maintenance organization
HOB
head of bed
HOH
hard of hearing
H&P
history and physical
Hr, hr, H, h
hour, hours
HS
hour of sleep (bedtime)
Ht
height
Hx, hx
history
I&D
incision and drainage
I&O
intake and output
ICU
intensive care unit
ID
intradermal, infectious disease
IDDM
insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
IM
intramuscular
in
inch
inf
inferior, infusion
inj
injection
int
internal, interior
post-
after
pre-
before
-otomy
cutting into
-path
disease
cephalo-
head
encephalo-
brain
Isol,isol
isolation
IV
intravenous
jt
joint
K
Potassium
Kg, kg
kilogram
L&D
labor and delivery
(L), lt, lft
left
L
liter
Lab
laboratory
lat
lateral
lb
pound
lg
large
liq
liquid
LLQ
left lower quadrant
LMP
last menstrual period
LOC
level of consciousness
LTC
long term care
LUQ
left upper quadrant
Mat
maternity
mcg
microgram
MD
medical doctor
Med
medical, medicine
mEq
milliequivalent
mg
milligram
Mg
Magnesium
MI
myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Tri-
three
Ex-
out, away from
-pathy
abnormal or diseased
-pnea
breathing
Neuro-
nerve
Ot-
ear
MICU
medical intensive care unit
min
minute
mL
milliliter
mm
millimeter
MN
midnight
mod
moderate
MOM
milk of magnesia
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus
N
Nitrogen
N/A
not applicable
N/A
not applicable
Na
Sodium
N/C
no complaints
neg
negative
Neur
neurology
NG, ng, N/G
nasogastric tube
NICU
neonatal intensive care unit
NIDDM
non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NIH
National Institutes of Health
NKA
no known allergies
NKDA
no known drug allergies
noc, noct
night, at night
NPO
nothing by mouth
N/S, NS
normal saline, neurosurgery
N/V, N&V
nausea and vomiting
NVD
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Leuko-
white
erythro-
red
-scope
instrument for looking
-uria
to do with urine or urinary organs
rhino-
nose
osteo-
bone
O2
Oxygen
Ob,Obs
obstetrics
od
overdose
OD
right eye
oint
ointment
OOB
out of bed
op
outpatient
oop
opposite
OR
operating room
Orth
orthopedics
os
mouth
OS
left eye
OT
occupational therapy
OTC
over the counter
OU
both eyes
oz
ounce
p( with a line it
after
p
pulse, phosphorus
Path
Pathology
Pb
Lead
pc
after meals
PCA
patient controlled analgesia
PE
pulmonary embolism or physical exam, pulmonary edema
Peds
pediatrics
per
by, through
PET
positron emission tomography
Pharm
pharmacy
Leuko-
white
erythro-
red
-scope
instrument for viewing
-uria
To with urine or urinary organs
rhino-
nose
osteo-
bone
PM. pm
Afternoon
PMS
premenstrual syndrome
po
by mouth
post
after, posterior
post op
after an operation
PP
postpartum (after delivery)
PPE
personal protective equipment
Pre -op
before an operation
Prep
to prepare
prn
when necessary, as needed
Psy
psychology, psychiatry
pt
patient, pint (500 mL or cc)
PT
physical therapy,
Px
prognosis, physical exam
q (with line on top), q
every
qd
every day
qh
every hour
q2h
every 2 hours
q3h
every three hours
q4h
every 4 hours
qhs
every night at bedtime
qid
four times a day
qod
every other day
qt
quart
R
right
RBC
red blood cell
sub-
under
dorso-
back
ventra-
front
-plasty
repair of
thoraco-
chest
bio-
life
RLQ
right lower quadrant
R/O
rule out
RO
reality orientation
ROM
range of motion
RR
respiratory rate, recovery room
RUQ
right upper quadrant
Rx
prescription, take, treatment
s(with a line over it), w/o
without
sc, SC
subcutaneous
SICU
surgical intensive care unit
SIDS
sudden infant death syndrome
Sig
give the following directions
sm
small
SOB
short of breath
sol
solution
spec
specimen
spt
spirits
ss
one half
S/S, S&S
signs and symptoms
staph
staphylococcus infection
stat
immediately, at once
STI
sexually transmitted infection
strep
streptococcus infection
supp
suppository
Surg
surgery, surgical
susp
suspension
Sx
symptom, sign
glyco-
sugar
trans-
across
endo-
in or inside
cyte-
cell
neo-
new
tox-
poison
T, Temp
temperature
tab
tablet
tbsp
tablespoon
TIA
transient ischemic attack (mini stroke)
tid
three times a day
TLC
tender loving care
TO
telephone order
tol
tolerate
TPR
temperature, pulse, respiration
tsp
teaspoon
tx
traction, treatment, transplant
Ua, U/A
urinalysis
Ur
urine
URI
upper respiratory infection
UTI
urinary tract infection
Vag
vaginal
VO
verbal order
Vol
volume
VS
vital signs (TPR & BP)
WBC
white blood cell
w/c
wheelchair
WNL
within normal limits
w/o, wo
without
wt
weight
x
times
y/o
years old
YOB
year of birth
Zn
Zinc
hepato-
liver
naso-
nose
opthal-
eye
nepho-
kidney
glosso-
tongue
glucos-
sugar