Term | Definition |
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 & 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 a patient has taken in (by IV or mouth) and the produced (usually just urine output)] |
Dx | Diagnosis |
DDx | Differential Diagnosis |
Tx | Treatment |
Rx | Prescription |
H & P | History & 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 Symptoms (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 | Shortness Of Breath |
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 grown or has grown appropriately and does not appear to be malnourished) |
A & O | Alert & Oriented
(the patient can answer questions and is aware of what is going on) |
WNL | Within Normal Limits |
NOS | Not Otherwise Specified
(catch-all for diagnoses that don't quite fit any specific cause) |
NEC | Not Elsewhere Classified
(catch-all for diagnoses that don't quite fit any specific cause) |
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 Centeral Catheter |
Sig | instructions short for "signa" from Latin for LABEL |
ad lib | as desired |
BID | twice daily
(Latin: two in a day) |
TID | three times daily
(Latin: three in a day) |
QD | daily (Latin: each day)
(now prohibited in many healthcare settings) |
QID | four times daily (Latin: four in a day)
(now prohibited in many healthcare settings) |
QHS | at night
(Latin: each night at the hour of sleep) |
AC | before meals
(Latin: before food) |
PC | after meals
(Latin: after food) |
prn | as needed
(Latin: as the need arises) |