Chapter 2 - Abbreviations Flashcards
CCU
Coronary Care Unit
ECU
Emergency Care Unit
ER
Emergency Room
ED
Emergency Department
ICU
Intensive Care Unit
PICU
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
NICU
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
SICU
Surgical Intensive Care Unit
PACU
Post-anesthesia Care Unit
L&D
Labor and Delivery
OR
Operating Room
Post-op
after surgery
Pre-op
before surgery
VS
vital signs
T
temperature
BP
blood pressure
HR
heart rate
RR
Respiratory rate
Ht
Height
Wt
weight
BMI
body mass index (measurement of body fat based on height and weight)
I/O
Intake/output: the amount of fluids and patient has taken in (by IV or mouth) and produced (usually just urine output)
Dx
diagnosis
DDx
differential diagnosis
Tx
treatment
Rx
prescription
H&P
history and physical
Hx
history
CC
chief complaint (the main reason for the visit)
HPI
history of present illness (the story of the symptoms)
ROS
review of systems (anything else not directly related to the chief complaint)
PMHx
past medical history
FHx
family history
PE
physical exam
Pt
patient
y/o
years old
h/o
history of
PCP
primary care provider
f/u
follow-up
SOB
while it may mean something outside of medicine, here, it means shortness of breath
*referred to as SOA (shortness of air) due to negative non-medical meaning
PERRLA
pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation
NAD
no acute distress (the patient does not display any intense symptoms)
RRR
regular rate and rhythm (description of a normal heart on exam)
CTA
clear to auscultation (description of normal sounding lungs)
WDWN
well developed, well nourished (the patient is growing or has grown appropriately and does not appear to be malnourished)
A&O
alert and oriented (the patient can anwser questions and is aware of what’s going on)
WNL
within normal limits
NOS
not otherwise specified
*NOS & NEC are catch-alls for diagnoses that don’t quite fit any specific causes
NEC
not elsewhere classified
*NOS & NEC are catch-alls for diagnoses that don’t quite fit any specific causes
PO
per os (by mouth)
NPO
nil per os (nothing by mouth)
PR
per rectum (anal)
IM
intramuscular
SC
subcutaneous (under the skin)
IV
intravenous
CVL
central venous line
PICC
peripherally inserted central catheter
Sig
instructions short for signa, from Latin, for label
ad lib
as desired
BID
twice daily
Latin phrase bis in die, meaning “two in a day”
TID
three times daily
Latin phrase ter in die, meaning “three in a day”
QD
daily
(Latin phrase quaque die, meaning “each day”)
*QD & QID are now prohibited in many health care settings b/c of confusion b/t the two
QID
four times daily
(Latin phrase quater in die, meaning “four in a day”)
*QD & QID are now prohibited in many health care settings b/c of confusion b/t the two
QHS
at night
Latin phrase quaque hora somni, meaning “reach night at the hour of sleep”
AC
before meals
Latin phrase ante cibum, meaning “before food”
PC
after meal
Latin phrase post cibum, meaning “after food”
prn
as needed
Latin phrase per re nata, meaning “as the need arises”
