Medical Abbreviations Part 3

Question 1

NPO

Answer 1

Nothing by mouth

Prohibition to consume food/drinks through the mouth.

Question 2

NSAID’s

Answer 2

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs that may increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death.

Question 3

O2

Answer 3

Oxygen

Question 4

OOB

Answer 4

Out of bed

Question 5

OT

Answer 5

Occupational therapy

Incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life

Question 6

OR

Answer 6

Operating Room

Question 7

PA

Answer 7

Physician Assistant

Advanced practice clinician licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician.

Question 8

PC

Answer 8

after meals

Question 9

PCP

Answer 9

Primary Care Physician

Is a physician/medical doctor who provides both the first contact for a person with an diagnosed health concern as well as continuing care of varied medical conditions, not limited by cause, organ system, or diagnosis.

Question 10

PCU

Answer 10

Progressive care unit

Unit for those patients who do not need intensive care, but who do need more nursing care than what is usually provided on general nursing units.

Question 11

PE

Answer 11

Pulmonary embolism

A blockage of the pulmonary artery or one of its branches, usually occurring when a venous thrombus (blood clot from a vein) becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolisms to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs.

Question 12

PMH

Answer 12

Past Medical History

Question 13

PO

Answer 13

By mouth

Question 14

prn

Answer 14

as needed

Question 15

pt

Answer 15

patient

Question 16

PT

Answer 16

Physical Therapists

Health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life.

Question 17

RT

Answer 17

Radiology Technologist

Healthcare professional who creates medical images of the body to help health care providers diagnose and treat illness and injury.

Question 18

RBC

Answer 18

Red Blood Cell

The most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate body’s principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood.

Question 19

RDA

Answer 19

Registered Dental Assistant

Question 20

RMA

Answer 20

Registered Medical Assistant

Question 21

RN

Answer 21

Registered Nurse

Question 22

R/O

Answer 22

Ruled out

Question 23

r/t

Answer 23

Related to

Question 24

S (with a line over it)

Answer 24

without

Question 25

Sub-Q

Answer 25

Subcutaneous

Implies just under the skin

Question 26

sl/SL

Answer 26

Sublingual

Implies under the tongue

Question 27

SOB

Answer 27

Shortness of Breath

Question 28

STAT

Answer 28

immediately

Question 29

sx

Answer 29

symptoms

Question 30

TB

Answer 30

Tuberculosis

A common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Question 31

TPR

Answer 31

Temperature, pulse, respiration’s

(Vital signs)

Question 32

T-Spine

Answer 32

Thoracic Spine

X-rays used in conjunction with the clinical examination to “clear” the thoracic spine in patients who present with multiple trauma and head injuries

Question 33

UA

Answer 33

Urinalysis

An array of tests performed on urine and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis.

Question 34

Up ad lib

Answer 34

Up as desired

Question 35

VS

Answer 35

Vital signs

Measures of various physiological statistics often taken by health professionals in order to assess the most basic body functions.

Question 36

WBC

Answer 36

White Blood Cell

Cell of the immune system defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials

Question 37

WNL

Answer 37

Within Normal Limits

Regarding to as having no significant changes, such as an x-ray and/or an MRI scan

Question 38

wt

Answer 38

weight