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Key Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Term | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| AD | Alzheimers disease | a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and worsens over time. A common form of dementia of unknown cause, characterized by progressive memory loss and mental deterioration associated with brain damage. |
| ADL | Activities of daily living | are routine activities people do every day without assistance. There are six basic ADLs: eating, bathing, getting dressed, toileting, transferring and continence. |
| AE | Anti-embolism; anti-embolic | Preventing or inhibiting thrombus(a stationary blood clot along the wall of a blood vessel). The correct term is “antithrombotic.” |
| AED | Automated external defibrillator | a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to treat them through defibrillation. |
| AHA | American heart association | a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke |
| AIDS | Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome | is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight the organisms that cause disease. |
| ALR | Assisted living residence | is a housing facility for people with disabilities or for adults who cannot or choose not to live independently. |
| ALS | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | a progressive degeneration of the motor neurons of the central nervous system, leading to wasting of the muscles and paralysis. |
| AMD | Age-related macular degeneration | An eye disease with its onset usually after age 60 that can progressively destroy the macula, the central portion of the retina, impairing central vision, rarely causes blindness because only the center of vision is affected. |
| ASL | American Sign Language | is a visual-gestural language used by 500,000 members of the North American Deaf community. |
| abd | Abdomen | the part of the body of a vertabrate containing the digestive organs; the belly/gut. |
| AC | Before meals | Abbreviation on a prescription meaning before meals |
| AKA | Above-the-knee amputation | is a surgical procedure performed to remove the lower limb above the knee joint when that limb has been severely damaged or diseased. |
| AM | Morning | Morning |
| AMB | Ambulate | walk; move about. |
| amt | Amount | Amount |
| ap | Apical | relating to or denoting the top or highest part of something. |
| BLS | Basic life support | is a level of medical care which is used for victims of life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can be given full medical care at a hospital. |
| BM; bms | Bowel movement | is the last stop in the movement of food through your digestive tract. Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus. |
| BP | Blood pressure | the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system, often measured for diagnosis since it is closely related to the force and rate of the heartbeat and the diameter and elasticity of the arterial walls. |
| BPD | Borderline personality disorder | is a long-term pattern of abnormal behavior characterized by unstable relationships with other people, unstable sense of self, and unstable emotions. |
| BPH | Benign prostatic hyperplasia | A common, noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The enlarged prostate may compress the urinary tube (urethra), which courses through the center of the prostate, impeding the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra to the outside. |
| BE | Barium enema(x-ray) | is an X-ray exam that can detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon). The procedure is also called a colon X-ray. An enema is the injection of a liquid into your rectum through a small tube. |
| BKA | Below-the-knee amputation | is an amputation often performed for foot and ankle problems. The BKA often leads to the use of an artificial leg that can allow a patient to walk. A BKA is performed roughly in the area between the ankle and knee. |
| BRP | Bathroom privileges | Bathroom privileges |
| C | Centigrade/Celsius | a measure of temperature |
| CAD | Coronary artery disease | is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. |
| CDC | Centers for disease control and prevention | is the leading national public health institute of the United States. Its main goal is to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and internationally. |
| C.diff | Clostridium difficile | s a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. |
| CMS | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services | An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that manages the federal health care programs of Medicare and Medicaid |
| CNS | Central nervous system | the complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. In vertebrates it comprises the brain and spinal cord. |
| CO2 | Carbon dioxide | a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. |
| COPD | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | is a long-term lung disease that refers to both chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD symptoms include persistent cough with mucus and shortness of breath. |
| CPR | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation | a medical procedure involving repeated compression of a patient's chest, performed in an attempt to restore the blood circulation and breathing of a person who has suffered cardiac arrest. |
| CVA | Cerebral vascular accident | is the medical term for a stroke. A stroke is when blood flow to a part of your brain is stopped either by a blockage or the rupture of a blood vessel. |
| C(with line over it) | With | With |
| Ca | Cancer | also called malignancy, is an abnormal growth of cells. |
| CABG | Coronary artery bypass graft | is a surgical procedure to restore normal blood flow to an obstructed coronary artery aka Open heart surgery. |
| cal | Calories | is a unit of energy. |
| cath | Catheter | a flexible tube inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, particularly the bladder, for removing fluid. |
| CBC | Complete blood count | is a blood test used to evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia. Measures several components and features of your blood, including: Red blood cells, which carry oxygen. |
| CBR | Complete bed rest | is a medical treatment in which a person lies in bed for most of the time to try to cure an illness. |
| CNA | Certified nursing assistant | helps patients or clients with healthcare needs under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). |
| C/o | Complains of | Complains of |
| CS | Central service/central supply | is an integrated place in hospitals and other health care facilities that performs sterilization and other actions on medical devices, equipment and consumables. |
| DNR | Do not resuscitate | is a legal order written either in the hospital or on a legal form to withhold CPR or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), in respect of the wishes of a patient in case their heart were to stop or they were to stop breathing. |
| DON | Director of nursing | is a registered nurse who supervises the care of all the patients at a health care facility. The director of nursing is the one who is responsible for communicating between the nursing staff and the physicians at a health care facility. |
| DOA | Dead on arrival | used to describe a person who is declared dead immediately upon arrival at a hospital. |
| DOE | Dyspnea on exertion | Difficulty in breathing, often associated with lung or heart disease and resulting in shortness of breath. Also called air hunger. |
| DRSG | Dressing | is a sterile pad or compress applied to a wound to promote healing and protect the wound from further harm. |
| Dx | Diagnosis | the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms. |
| E. coli | Escherichia coli | E. coli (Escherichia coli) is one of several types of bacteria that normally inhabit the intestine of humans and animals (commensal organism). |
| EEOC | Equal employment opportunity commission | a body appointed by the president of the United States to administer the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly to investigate complaints of discrimination in employment in businesses engaged in interstate commerce. |
| EHR | Electronic health record | a computerized repository for a patient's health information providing information to members of the health care team regarding a clinical encounter. |
| EMR | Electronic medical record | A computerised record of a person's health “transactions”, collated from summaries of individual electronic patient records and other relevant data. |
| EMS | Emergency medical services | An agency that provides prehospital care and transport to the sick and wounded. |
| ECG; EKG | Electrocardiogram | a graphic tracing of the variations in electrical potential caused by the excitation of the heart muscle and detected at the body surface. |
| EENT | Eye, ear, nose and throat | Eye, ear, nose and throat |
| ER | Emergency room | The section of a health care facility for providing rapid treatment to victims of sudden illness or trauma. |
| F | Fahrenheit | point of water is 32°F at sea level. |
| FBAO | Foreign-body airway obstruction | a partial or complete blockage of the breathing tubes to the lungs due to a foreign body (for example, food, a bead, toy, etc. |
| FDA | Food and drug administration | is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments. |
| FBS | Fasting blood sugar | The fasting blood glucose test is commonly used to detect diabetes mellitus. A blood sample is taken in a lab, physician's office, or hospital. The test is done in the morning, before the person has eaten. |
| fl; fld | Fluid | Fluid |
| Fx | Fracture | break or cause to break. |
| FUO | Fever of unknown origin | is a fever of at least 101°F (38.3°C) that lasts for more than three weeks or occurs frequently without explanation. Even when a doctor can’t determine the cause of the fever at first, a diagnosis is a step toward treating |
| GI | Gastro-intestinal | pertaining to or communicating with the stomach and intestine. |
| gtt | Drops | Drops |
| gtt/min | Drops per minute | Drops per minute |
| gal | Gallon | Gallon |
| GB | Gallbladder | the pear-shaped organ located below the liver. It serves as a storage place for bile. |
| GU | Genito-urinary | pertaining to the urinary system and genitalia; called also urinogenital and urogenital. |
| HAI | Healthcare-associated infection | are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions within a healthcare setting. |
| HBV | Hepatitis B virus | A virus which primarily causes inflammation of the liver. Can be transmitted by blood transfusion, needle sticks, body piercing and tattooing using unsterile instruments, dialysis, sexual and even less intimate close contact, and childbirth etc. |
| Hg | Mercury | mercury or one of its compounds used medicinally, especially to treat syphilis. |
| HIPAA | Health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 | Public Law 104-191, was enacted on August 21, 1996. Sections 261 through 264 of HIPAA require the Secretary of HHS to publicize standards for the electronic exchange, privacy and security of health information. |
| HIV | Human immunodeficiency virus | A sexually transmitted disease that transmits through HIV-infected body fluids, such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluids, or from a mother who has HIV to her child during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or breastfeeding(breat milk). |
| H2O | Water | Water |
| h; hr | Hour | Hour |
| ht | Height | Height |
| hx | History | History |
| IBD | Inflammatory bowel disease | |
| ID | Identification | |
| I&O | Intake and output | |
| IPV | Intimate partner violence | |
| IV | Intravenous | |
| ICU | Intensive care unit | |
| L/min | Liters per minute | |
| LPN/LVN | Licensed practical nurse/ licensed vocational nurse | |
| L | Left; liter | |
| Lab | Laboratory | |
| lb | Pound | |
| liq | Liquid | |
| LLQ | Left lower quadrant | |
| LOC | Level of consciousness | |
| lt | Left | |
| LUQ | Left upper quadrant | |
| MDRO | Multi-drug resistant organism | |
| MDS | Minimum data sheet | |
| mg | Milligram | |
| Ml | Myocardial infection | |
| mL | Millileter | |
| mL/hr | Miillileter per hour | |
| mm | Millimeter | |
| mm Hg | Millimeters of mercury | |
| MRSA | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus | |
| MS | Multiple sclerosis | |
| MSD | Musculo-skeletal disorder | |
| meds | Medications | |
| mid noc | midnight | |
| min | minute | |
| NATCEP | nursing assistant training and competancy evalutation program | |
| NCSBN | national counsil of state boards of nursing | |
| NG | naso-gastric | |
| NIA | national institute on aging | |
| NPO | nothing per mouth; nothing by mouth | |
| NPUAP | national pressure ulcer advisory panel | |
| neg | negative | |
| noc | night | |
| NA | nursing assistant | |
| O2 | oxygen | |
| OBRA | omnibus budget reconcilliation act of 1987 | |
| OCD | obsessive-compulsive disorder | |
| OPIM | other potentially infectious materials | |
| OSHA | occupational safety and health administration | |
| oz | ounce | |
| OB | obstetrics | |
| OOB | out of bed | |
| OR | operation room | |
| os | mouth | |
| OT | occupational therapy | |
| PASS | pull the safety pin, aim low, squeeze the lever, sweep back and forth | |
| PHI | protected health information | |
| PPE | personal proctective equipment | |
| PROM | passive range of motion | |
| PTSD | post-traumatic stress disorder | |
| PC | after meals | |
| PCA | patient-controlled analgesia | |
| peds | pediatrics | |
| per | by; through | |
| PO | by mouth; orally | |
| post-op | postoperative | |
| Prep | Preparation | |
| prn | When necessary | |
| Pt | Patient | |
| PT | Physical therapy | |
| q | Every | |
| qh | Every hour | |
| q2h, q3h, etc | Every 2 hours, every 3 hours and so on | |
| R | Rectal temperature, respiration, right | |
| RBC | Red blood cell, red blood count | |
| RLQ | Right lower quadrant | |
| RN | Registered nurse | |
| R/O | Rule out | |
| ROM | Range of motion | |
| RR | Recovery room | |
| rt | Right | |
| RUQ | Right upper quadrant | |
| RA | Rheumatoid arthritis | |
| RACE | Rescue, alarm, confine, extinguish | |
| RRT | Rapid response team | |
| SCA | Sudden cardiac arrest | |
| SDS | Safety data sheet | |
| SNF | Skilled nursing facility | |
| SpO2 | Saturation of peripheral oxygen(oxygen concentration) | |
| STD | Sexually transmitted disease | |
| S(with line over it) | Without | |
| Spec | Specimen | |
| SSE | Soapsuds enema | |
| stat | At once, immediately | |
| TB | Tuberculosis | |
| TIA | Transient ischemic attack | |
| TJC | The joint commission | |
| TPR | Temperature, pulse, and respirations | |
| tbsp | Tablespoon | |
| TLC | Tender loving care | |
| tsp | Teaspoon | |
| U/a | Urinalysis | |
| UTI | Urinary tract infection | |
| USDA | United States department of agriculture | |
| VF; V-fib | Ventricular fibrillation | |
| VRE | Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci | |
| VS | Vital signs | |
| WBC | White blood cell; white blood count | |
| w/c | Wheelchair | Wheelchair |
| wt | Weight | Weight |
Created by:
Steffany_tineo
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