Common Medical Terminology

A & P

Anatomy and Physiology

ad lib

As desired

ac

Before meals

adm

Admission or Admitted

AED

Automated External Defibrillator

amb

Ambulate or Ambulation

ASAP

As Soon As Possible

ax

Axillary

bid

Twice a day

BM

Bowel Movement

BMI

Body Mass Index

BMR

Basal Metabolic Rate

BP

Blood Pressure

BRP

Bathroom Privileges

c̄

With

CBC

Complete Blood Count

CBR

Complete Bed Rest

CC

Chief Complaint or Cubic Centimeters

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

CHO

Carbohydrate

cl liq

Clear Liquids

c/o

Complains Of

CPR

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

CT

Computed Tomography

D/C

Discontinue or Discharge

DNR

Do Not Resuscitate

Dx

Diagnosis

EEG

Electroencephalogram

EKG, ECG

Electrocardiogram

FBAO

Foreign Body Airway Obstruction

FBS

Fasting Blood Sugar

FF

Force Fluids

GB

Gallbladder

Hgb

Hemoglobin

Hct

Hematocrit

HOB

Head Of Bed

hs

At Bedtime

ht

Height

hx

History

IM

Intramuscular

IV

Intravenous

LOC

Level or Loss of Consciousness

LPN, LVN

Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse

LTC

Long-Term Care

Ⓛ

Left

MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

N/A

Not Applicable or Not Available

neg

Negative

NG

Nasogastric

noct

Nocturnal or At Night

NKA

No Known Allergies

NPO

Nothing By Mouth

O2

Oxygen

OOB

Out Of Bed

OR

Operating Room

OTC

Over The Counter

p̄

After

pc

After meals

po

By mouth

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment

prn

As needed

pt

Patient

q2h

Every 2 hours

qhs

Every night at bedtime

qs

Quantity sufficient

qid

Four times a day

R

Respiration or Right

Ⓡ

Right

RBC

Red Blood Cell

RN

Registered Nurse

R/O

Rule Out

ROM

Range Of Motion

Rx

Prescription or Treatment

s̄

Without

ss

One-half or Sliding Scale

STAT

Immediately

STD

Sexually Transmitted Disease

T

Temperature

tab

Tablet

tid

Three times a day

TPR

Temperature, Pulse, Respiration

UA

Urinalysis

VS

Vital Signs

WBC

White Blood Cell

w/c

Wheelchair

wt

Weight

WNL

Within Normal Limits

↓ or ↑

Decreased/Increased

♀ (F)

Female

♂ (M)

Male