Nursing Care

7. Abbreviations

While you are in the hospital, you will see various instructions concerning your care that are written in a type of code that would be impossible for you to decipher if you did not know what some of their abbreviations meant. Below are the most common abbreviations used in most hospitals.:

a – before
a.c. – before meals
ADL – activities of daily living
ad lib – as desired
AMA – against medical advice
ASA – acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
ASHD – arteriosclerotic heart disease
b.i.d. – twice a day
BP – blood pressure
BPH – benign prostrate hypertrophy (enlargement)
BRP – bathroom privileges
Bx – biopsy
c – with
CA – cancer
CAD – coronary artery disease
CBC – complete blood count
CBD – common bile duct
CC – chief complaint
CCU – coronary care unit
CHD – coronary heart disease
CHF – congestive heart failure
chol. – cholesterol
CNS – central nervous system
COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CSF – cerebrospinal fluid
CVA – cerebrovascular accident
CVP – central venous pressure
CxR – chest X ray
D & C – dilation and curettage
DM – diabetes mellitus
D/W – dextrose in water
Dx – diagnosis
ECG or EKG – electrocardiogram
EEG – electroencephalogram
ER – emergency room
FBS – fasting blood sugar
FH – family history
Fx – fracture
GB-gallbladder
GI – gastrointestinal
GTT – glucose tolerance test
GU -genitourinary
Hgb – hemoglobin
HPI – history of present illness
h.s. – at bedtime—literally, hour of sleep
Hx – history
ICU – intensive care unit
I & D – incision and drainage
IM – intramuscular
I & O – intake and output
IPPB – intermittent positive pressure breathing
IV – intravenous
IVP – intravenous pyelogram
KUB – kidneys, ureters, bladder
l – left
LLE – left lower extremity
LMP – last menstrual period
L.P – lumbar puncture
LUE – left upper extremity
m- murmur
MI – myocardial infarction (heart attack)
N-G – nasogastric
N & V – nausea and vomiting
NPO – nothing by mouth (non per os)
NSR – normal sinus rhythm (heart rate)
o – none
OOB – out of bed
OPD – outpatient department
OR – operating room
OT – occupational therapy
p – after
p.c. – after meals
P.E. – physical examination or pulmonary embolus
PI – present illness
p.o. – (by mouth (per os)
p.r. – rectally
p.r.n. – as often as necessary
pro time – prothrombin time
pt – patient
P.T. – physical therapy
PTA – prior to admission
Px – prognosis
q – every
q.h.-every hour
q.i.d. – four times a day
q.o.d. – every other day
q2h – every two hours
q4h – every four hours
q.n. – every night
q.s. – quantity sufficient
R – right
RBC – red blood cell
rbc – red blood cell
RHD – rheumatic heart disease
RN – registered nurse
ROM – range of motion
RT – radiation therapy
Rt – right
RUQ – right upper quadrant (abdomen)
Rx – therapy or treatment
s – without
s.c. – subcutaneous
SH – social history
S1CU – shortness of breath
s.o.s. – may be repeated once if urgently required
S & S – signs and symptoms
stat. – immediately and once only
Sx – symptoms
T & A – tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
TIA – transient ischemic attack
t.i.d. – three times a day
TRP – temperature, pulse, respiration
TUR – transurethral resection
TURP – transurethral resection of the prostrate
Tx – treatment
URI – upper respiratory infection
UTI – urinary tract infection
VS – vital signs
WBC – white blood count
wbc – white blood count
y.o. – year old