Medical Terminology: Abbreviations Flashcards
1
Q
ā
A
before (ante)
2
Q
AAA
A
abdominal aortic aneurysm - (will hear “Triple A”)
3
Q
abd
A
Abdomen
4
Q
ABG
A
Arterial blood gas
5
Q
a.c.
A
before meals (ante cibum)
6
Q
ADL
A
activities of daily living
7
Q
ad lib.
A
as desired
8
Q
AEB
A
as evidenced by
9
Q
AKA
A
above the knee amputation
10
Q
AMA
A
against medical advice
11
Q
AMI
A
acute myocardial infarction
12
Q
amb., amb
A
ambulate or ambulatory
13
Q
AP
A
anteroposterior - (AP chest X-ray)
14
Q
ASAP
A
as soon as possible
15
Q
b.i.d., bid, BID
A
twice a day (bis in die)
16
Q
BKA
A
below the knee amputation
17
Q
BLE
A
bilateral lower extremities
18
Q
BM
A
bowel movement
19
Q
BMP
A
basic metabolic panel
20
Q
BP, B/P
A
blood pressure
21
Q
bpm
A
beats per minute
22
Q
BRP
A
bathroom privileges
23
Q
BS, bs
A
bowel sounds; blood sugar, breath sounds
24
Q
BUN
A
blood urea nitrogen
25
Bx, bx
biopsy
26
c (line above)
with
27
Ca
calcium
28
CA
cancer
29
cap
capsule
30
cath
catheter, catheterize
31
C & S
culture and sensitivity
32
c/o, C/O
complains of
33
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft(s)
34
CAD
coronary artery disease
35
CT scan, CAT scan
computed tomography scan, computed axial tomography scan
36
CBC
complete blood count
37
CC or C.C.
chief complaint
38
cc (lowercase)
cubic centimeter, same as mL (DO NOT USE cc- use mL instead)
39
CHF
congestive heart failure
40
CMP
comprehensive metabolic panel
41
CNS
central nervous system
42
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
43
CPAP
continuous positive airway pressure
44
CRF
chronic renal failure
45
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
46
CTA
clear to auscultation
47
CV
cardiovascular
48
CVA
cerebrovascular accident
49
CXR
chest x-ray
50
d
day
51
D/C, or d/c
discontinue, discharge
52
DM
diabetes mellitus
53
DNR
do not resuscitate
54
DOE
dyspnea on exertion
55
dsg, drsg
dressing
56
DTV
due to void
57
DVT
deep vein thrombosis
58
Dx, dx
diagnosis
59
EBL
estimated blood loss
60
ECG, EKG
electrocardiogram
61
EENT
ears, eyes, nose, and throat
62
ESRD
end stage renal disease
63
et al.
and others
64
ETOH, EtOH
ethanol, alcohol
65
F/U, f/u
follow-up
66
Fe
iron
67
FFP
fresh frozen plasma
68
Fx., fx
fracture
69
GERD
gastroesophageal reflux disease
70
GI, G.I.
gastrointestinal
71
gtt(s)
drop/drops
72
H/H. Hgb/Hct
hemoglobin and hematocrit (Hemoglobin is always first)
73
HA
headache
74
HHN
hand held nebulizer
75
HOB
head of bed
76
H & P
history and physical
77
HPI
history of present illness
78
HS, hs
hour of sleep (at bedtime) or half strength – Do Not Use–Write it Out
79
HTN
hypertension
80
Hx, hx
history
81
I & D
incision and drainage
82
ICU
intensive care unit
83
IM, I.M.
intramuscular
84
I & O
intake and output
85
IS
incentive spirometer
86
IV
intravenous
87
JP, J-P
Jackson-Pratt drain
88
J-tube
feeding tube in the jejunum
89
K+
potassium
90
KCl
potassium chloride
91
kg
kilograms
92
KUB, K.U.B.
(x-ray of) kidneys, ureter, bladder
93
KVO
keep vein open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)
94
L
liter
95
L (circle around L) , Lt, lt
left
96
L&D
labor and delivery
97
LMP
last menstrual period
98
LOC
loss of consciousness, level of consciousness
99
LTAC
long term acute care
100
LUE, L.U.E.
left upper extremity
101
LLE, L.L.E.
left lower extremity
102
LUQ, L.U.Q.
left upper quadrant
103
LLQ, L.L.Q.
left lower quadrant
104
lytes
electrolytes
105
mcg
microgram (do not use ㎍)
106
mEq
millliequivalent
107
mg
milligram
108
MI, M.I.
myocardial infarction
109
MICU
Medical Intensive Care Unit
110
mL
milliliter
111
MN
midnight
112
MODS
multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
113
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
114
MS, MSO4, MgSO4
morphine sulfate
– Do Not Use; Write it out
115
NaCl
sodium chloride
116
NC
nasal cannula
117
NG, NGT
nasogastric tube
118
NICU
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
119
NKA
no known allergies
120
NKDA
no known drug allergies
121
NPO
nothing by mouth
122
NRBM
non-rebreather mask (for oxygen delivery)
123
NS
normal saline (0.9% NaCl)
124
NSAID
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
125
N/V
nausea and vomiting
126
N/V/D
nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
127
NWB
non-weight bearing
128
O2
oxygen
129
OD
right eye
130
OS
left eye
131
O.U.
both eyes
132
OOB
out of bed
133
OTA
open to air
134
OTC
over the counter
135
p (line on top)
after
136
PACU
Post Anesthesia Care Unit
137
pc, p.c.
after meals
138
PCA
patient controlled analgesia
139
PCP
primary care physician
140
PEG
percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube
141
p.o.
by mouth
142
pr
suppository route (per rectum)
143
PRBC
packed red blood cells
144
pre-op, preop
preoperatively, before surgery
145
PRN, P.R.N., prn, p.r.n.
as needed, as necessary (pro re nata)
146
Pt. , pt.
patient
147
P.T.
physical therapy
148
q
every (q 1 hr = every hour; q 4 hrs = every 4 hours)
149
q.d.
Write every day or qday (on Do Not Use list)
150
QID, Q.I.D., qid, q.i.d.
four times a day
151
qs
every shift
152
R (circle around R) , RT, Rt
right
153
RA
rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium
154
R/A
room air
155
r/t
related to
156
R/O
rule out
157
RLE
right lower extremity
158
RUE
right upper extremity
159
RUQ
right upper quadrant
160
RLQ
right lower quadrant
161
Rx
prescription
162
s (line on top)
without
163
SAH
subarachnoid hemorrhage
164
SARS
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
165
SCD
sequential compression devices
166
SICU
surgical intensive care unit
167
SIRS
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
168
SL
sublingual
169
SN, S.N.
student nurse
170
SNF
skilled nursing facility
171
SOB
shortness of breath
172
S/P
status post
173
S/S
signs and symptoms
174
S.S., SSI
sliding scale insulin
175
STAT, Stat
IMMEDIATELY, Now
176
sub-Q
subcutaneous
177
tachy
tachycardia
178
T & C
type and crossmatch
179
TB. Tb
tuberculosis
180
TCDB
turn, cough, and deep breathe
181
TEDs
thromboembolic disease support hose
182
TIA
transient ischemic attack
183
TID, T.I.D., tid, t.i.d.
three times a day
184
TKO
to keep open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)
185
tol, tol.
tolerated
186
TPCN
Total Patient Care Nurse
187
TPR
temperature, pulse, and respiration
188
tsp
teaspoon (5ml)
189
Tbsp, tbsp
tablespoon (15 ml)
190
tx
treatment
191
U, IU
Unit, International Unit (on Do not Use list) - write out unit
192
UA
urinalysis
193
URI
upper respiratory infection
194
UTI
urinary tract infection
195
VS
vital signs
196
WBAT
weight bearing as tolerated
197
WBC
white blood cell count
198
y/o, YO
year old
199
Rule for LEADING ZERO
0.5 mg - ALWAYS use a zero BEFORE a decimal point (Not .5 mg)
200
Rule for TRAILING ZERO
1 mg - NEVER use a zero AFTER a decimal point (Not 1.0 mg)
