Term | Definition |
a | before
The patient's orders state, "Enema a pre-op." |
aa | of each
The patient will take two drops (gtts) aa medication at bedtime (hs). |
abd | abdominl
The patient's abd is soft and nondistended. |
a.c. | before meals
The patient is to take the medication a.c. |
ADL | activity of daily living
The patient's ADL has decreased since her stroke. |
ad lib | as desired
The patient may be out of bed (OOB) ad lib. |
a.m. | in the morning
The patients are to be bathed in the a.m. |
amt. | amount
The patient ate 30% of the amt. of his diet. |
AROM | active range of motion
The doctor ordered AROM exercises for the patient. |
AX | axillary (taken under the arm)
The infant's temperature was 98.2 (AX). |
BID | two times per day
The doctor ordered the patient to sit up in the chair BID. |
BM | bowel movement
The infant had BMs x7 for the previous 24 hours. (The x means times.) |
BP | blood pressure
The patient's BP was 122/78. (This is a normal BP.) |
BRP | bathroom privileges
The recovering fractured hip patient was granted BRP. |
C | Celsius
The liquid oxygen was stored at -30° (Celsius). |
C with a line on top | The patient is to take the medication (the letter c with a line over the top) water. |
cal | calorie
The dietician recommended that the patient be placed on a 2400 cal ADA diet. |
cath | catheter
The doctor ordered a urinary cath for the patient with retention (who could not urinate). |
CBR | complete bed rest
The patient with the myocardial infarction was placed on CBR. |
cc | cubic centimeter
The patient was to receive 30cc's of the medication PO (by mouth). |
CHF | congestive heart failure
The doctor ordered lasix, a diuretic, for the patient with CHF. |
cm | centimeter
The infant's abdominal girth was 32 cms. (Abdominal girth is the diameter of the abdomen. It is measured in newborn infants in order to insure adequate digestion.) |
CN | charge nurse
The CN wanted a report on the patient's vital signs. |
CNS | central nervous system
The concussion caused the patient to have CNS depression. |
c/o | complains of
The patient c/o angina with exertion. (Chest pain with activity.) |
DC | discontinue
The doctor ordered the patient's IV to be DC'd. |
DON | director of nurses
The DON was preparing the staff for a JACH visit. |
Dr. | doctor |
DX | diagnosis
The doctor was not prepared to offer a DX at this time. |
F | Fahrenheit
The boy had an oral temperature of 100 (F). |
FX | fracture
The boy fx'd his femur (the large bone located in the thigh). |
GI | gastrointestinal
The patient was admitted in GI distress (stomach hurt) |
gtt | drop
The patient was to take 3 gtts of medication in the left eye (O.S.). |
GU | genitourinary
The man with a swollen prostate was admitted for GU complications |
h | hour
The patient was to stay up in the chair for x3h. |
H2O | water
The patient tolerated 100 cc's of H20 |
HOB | head of bed
The doctor's order stated that the patient should be kept in reverse Trendelenberg position. |