Chapter 2 - Abbreviations

Question 1

CCU

Answer 1

Coronary Care Unit

Question 2

ECU

Answer 2

Emergency Care Unit

Question 3

ER

Answer 3

Emergency Room

Question 4

ED

Answer 4

Emergency Department

Question 5

ICU

Answer 5

Intensive Care Unit

Question 6

PICU

Answer 6

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Question 7

NICU

Answer 7

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Question 8

SICU

Answer 8

Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Question 9

PACU

Answer 9

Post-anesthesia Care Unit

Question 10

L&D

Answer 10

Labor and Delivery

Question 11

OR

Answer 11

Operating Room

Question 12

Post-op

Answer 12

after surgery

Question 13

Pre-op

Answer 13

before surgery

Question 14

VS

Answer 14

vital signs

Question 15

T

Answer 15

temperature

Question 16

BP

Answer 16

blood pressure

Question 17

HR

Answer 17

heart rate

Question 18

RR

Answer 18

Respiratory rate

Question 19

Ht

Answer 19

Height

Question 20

Wt

Answer 20

weight

Question 21

BMI

Answer 21

body mass index (measurement of body fat based on height and weight)

Question 22

I/O

Answer 22

Intake/output: the amount of fluids and patient has taken in (by IV or mouth) and produced (usually just urine output)

Question 23

Dx

Answer 23

diagnosis

Question 24

DDx

Answer 24

differential diagnosis

Question 25

Tx

Answer 25

treatment

Question 26

Rx

Answer 26

prescription

Question 27

H&P

Answer 27

history and physical

Question 28

Hx

Answer 28

history

Question 29

CC

Answer 29

chief complaint (the main reason for the visit)

Question 30

HPI

Answer 30

history of present illness (the story of the symptoms)

Question 31

ROS

Answer 31

review of systems (anything else not directly related to the chief complaint)

Question 32

PMHx

Answer 32

past medical history

Question 33

FHx

Answer 33

family history

Question 34

PE

Answer 34

physical exam

Question 35

Pt

Answer 35

patient

Question 36

y/o

Answer 36

years old

Question 37

h/o

Answer 37

history of

Question 38

PCP

Answer 38

primary care provider

Question 39

f/u

Answer 39

follow-up

Question 40

SOB

Answer 40

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

Question 41

PERRLA

Answer 41

pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation

Question 42

NAD

Answer 42

no acute distress (the patient does not display any intense symptoms)

Question 43

RRR

Answer 43

regular rate and rhythm (description of a normal heart on exam)

Question 44

CTA

Answer 44

clear to auscultation (description of normal sounding lungs)

Question 45

WDWN

Answer 45

well developed, well nourished (the patient is growing or has grown appropriately and does not appear to be malnourished)

Question 46

A&O

Answer 46

alert and oriented (the patient can anwser questions and is aware of what’s going on)

Question 47

WNL

Answer 47

within normal limits

Question 48

NOS

Answer 48

not otherwise specified

*NOS & NEC are catch-alls for diagnoses that don’t quite fit any specific causes

Question 49

NEC

Answer 49

not elsewhere classified

*NOS & NEC are catch-alls for diagnoses that don’t quite fit any specific causes

Question 50

PO

Answer 50

per os (by mouth)

Question 51

NPO

Answer 51

nil per os (nothing by mouth)

Question 52

PR

Answer 52

per rectum (anal)

Question 53

IM

Answer 53

intramuscular

Question 54

SC

Answer 54

subcutaneous (under the skin)

Question 55

IV

Answer 55

intravenous

Question 56

CVL

Answer 56

central venous line

Question 57

PICC

Answer 57

peripherally inserted central catheter

Question 58

Sig

Answer 58

instructions short for signa, from Latin, for label

Question 59

ad lib

Answer 59

as desired

Question 60

BID

Answer 60

twice daily

Latin phrase bis in die, meaning “two in a day”

Question 61

TID

Answer 61

three times daily

Latin phrase ter in die, meaning “three in a day”

Question 62

QD

Answer 62

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

Question 63

QID

Answer 63

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

Question 64

QHS

Answer 64

at night

Latin phrase quaque hora somni, meaning “reach night at the hour of sleep”

Question 65

AC

Answer 65

before meals

Latin phrase ante cibum, meaning “before food”

Question 66

PC

Answer 66

after meal

Latin phrase post cibum, meaning “after food”

Question 67

prn

Answer 67

as needed

Latin phrase per re nata, meaning “as the need arises”