Nursing

a (with a line on top)

before

abd

abdomen

a.c.

before meals (ante cibum)

ADL

activities of daily living

ad lib

as desired (ad libitum)

adm

admitted or admission

AM

morning (ante meridiem)

amb

ambulatory

amp

ampoule

amt

amount

Aptt

Activated partial prothrombin time

a/o x 4

aq

Alert, oriented times 4 parameters

water

b.i.d

twice daily (bis in die)

BM

bowel movement

BMI

Body mass index

BP

blood pressure

BRP

bathroom privileges

c (with a line on top)

cap

with (cum)

capsule

Ca

Calcium

C&DB

Cough and deep breath

Cl

Chloride

c/o

complains of

CSM

Circulation sensation, movement

CVA

cerebrovascular accident or costovertebral angle

DNR

Do not resuscitate

Dx

et

Diagnosis

and

ETOH

Ethanol (alcohol)

FBS/BS

Fasting blood sugar

FH

Family history

f/u

Follow up

g

gram

gr

GT

Grain

Gastrostomy tube

gtt

drops (guttae)

h.

hour (hora)

Hct

hematocrit

Hgb

hemaglobin

ht

height

Hx

ID

History

Intradermal

IM

intramuscular

INR

International normalized ratio

I&O

intake and output

IS

Inspirometer

IV

IVPB

Intravenous

Intravenous piggy back

K

potassium

kg

kilogram

lab

laboratory

lb

pound

liq

liquid

LLQ

left lower quadrant

Loc

Level of conscience/loss of conscience

Mcg

Micrograms

mEq

milliequivalent

Mg

min

Milligram

minute

ml

NG

Milliliter

Nasogastric tube

NA

Sodium

nil(Ø)

NJ

None

Nasojejunal tube

NKDA

noct

No known drug allergies

night

npo

nothing per ora, by mouth

NSR

Normal sinus rhythm

n/v

Nausea/Vomiting

OR

operating room

os

mouth

oz

ounce

p (with a line over top)

after

p

pulse, para

p.c.

PCA

after meals (post cibum)

patient controlled analgesia

per

by or through

PERRLA

Pupils equal round and reactive to light and accommodation

Plt

Platelets

PMH

Past medical history

PSH

Past surgical history

p.o.

pr or PR

by mouth (per os)

Per rectum

preop

pre operative (ly)

postop

post operative (ly)

p.r.n.

when necessary (pro re nata)

Pt (pt)

patient

PT

Prothrombin Time

q.a.m.

every morning (quaque ante meridiem, omni mane)

q.h.

every hour (quaque hora)

q. 2h, q 3h,.

every 2 hours, 3 hours

q.i.d.

qs

four times a day (quater in die)

quantity sufficient

RBC

Red blood cells

r/o

Rule out

ROM

Range of Motion

RR

Respiratory Rate

RUQ

right upper quadrant

Rx

take, therapy

s (with line on top)

without (sine)

SCD

Sequential compression device

SH

Social history

SL or sl

Saline lock or sublingual

SOB (sob)

shortness of breath

spec

specimen

STAT

subcut

Immediately

subcutaneous

Sx

tab

Symptoms

tablet

t.i.d.

three times a day (ter in die)

TPR

temperature, pulse, respirations

U/A

urinalysis

VS

Vital signs

vs

versus

WBC

White blood cells

♀

female

♂

male

Note-I have included the Do not use list below. You do not have to learn these abbreviations.

JCAHO "Do Not Use" List: Abbreviations, Acronyms and Symbols

�

Medical errors have been identified as the fourth most common cause of patient deaths in the United States. To help reduce the numbers of errors related to incorrect use of terminology, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently issued a list of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols that should no longer be used. The action supports one of JCAHO's national patient safety goals: to improve the effectiveness of communications among caregivers.

Between 44,000 and 96,000 deaths each year may be attributed to medical errors, spawning efforts throughout the healthcare system to systematically address the issues and better protect patient safety. JCAHO's national patient safety goals are one example.

National Patient Safety Goals JCAHO's effort to further protect patient safety and address this health care issue is embodied in the approval and implementation of seven National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs). These goals are not accreditation standards -- they are prescriptive accreditation requirements. In summary, they are:

1. Improve the accuracy of patient identification. 2. Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers. 3. Improve the safety of using high-alert medications. 4. Eliminate wrong-site, wrong-patient and wrong-procedure surgery. 5. Improve the safety of using infusion pumps. 6. Improve the effectiveness of clinical alarm systems. 7. Reduce the risk of health care-acquired infections.

A "minimum list" of dangerous abbreviations, acronyms and symbols

Beginning January 1, 2004, the following items must be included on each accredited organization's "Do not use" list:

Set

Item

Abbreviation

Potential Problem

Preferred Term

1.

1.

U (for unit)

Mistaken as zero, four or cc.

Write "unit"

2.

2.

IU (for international unit)

Mistaken as IV (intravenous) or 10 (ten)

Write "international unit"

3.

3. 4.

Q.D., Q.O.D. (Latin abbreviation for once daily and every other day)

Mistaken for each other. The period after the Q can be mistaken for an "I" and the "O" can be mistaken for "I"

Write "daily" and "every other day"

4.

5. 6.

Trailing zero (X.0 mg), Lack of leading zero (.X mg)

Decimal point is missed

Never write a zero by itself after a decimal point (X mg), and always use a zero before a decimal point (0.X mg)

5.

7. 8. 9.

MS MSO4 MgSO4

Confused for one another Can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate

Write "morphine sulfate" or "magnesium sulfate"

In addition to the "minimum required list"

The following items should also be considered when expanding the "Do not use" list to include the additional three or more items referenced in the JCAHOFAQ@jcaho.org

Abbreviation

Potential Problem

Preferred Term

µg (for microgram)

Mistaken for mg (milligrams) resulting in one thousand-fold dosing overdose

Write "mcg"

H.S. (for half-strength or Latin abbreviation for bedtime)

Mistaken for either half-strength or hour of sleep (at bedtime) q.H.S. mistaken for every hour. All can result in a dosing error.

Write out "half-strength" or "at bedtime"

T.I.W. (for three times a week)

Mistaken for three times a day or twice weekly resulting in an overdose

Write "3 times weekly" or "three times weekly"

S.C. or S.Q. (for subcutaneous)

Mistaken as SL for sublingual, or "5 every"

Write "Sub-Q", "subQ", or "subcutaneously"

D/C (for discharge)

Interpreted as discontinue whatever medications follow (typically discharge meds).

Write "discharge"

c.c. (for cubic centimeter)

Mistaken for U (units) when poorly written.

Write "ml" for milliliters

A.S., A.D., A.U. (Latin abbreviation for left, right, or both ears)O.S., O.D., O.U.(Latin abbreviation for left, right, or both eyes)

@

Mistaken for each other (e.g., AS for OS, AD for OD, AU for OU, etc.)

Mistaken as 2

Write: "left ear," "right ear" or "both ears;" "left eye," "right eye," or "both eyes

Write "at"