Ch. 2 - Abbreviations & Symbols

ac

before meals

ad lib.

as desired

ADLS

activities of daily living

AMA

against medical advice

B/S

bedside

bid

twice a day

BRP

bathroom privileges

c̅

with

c/o

complains of

CC or C/C

chief complaint

p̅

after

pc

after meals

PE

physical examination

per

by/through

PLOF

prior level of function

PO

by mouth

post-op

after surgery (operation)

pre-op

before surgery (operation)

prn

as needed

Pt. or pt.

patient

PTA

prior to admission

q

every

cont.

continue

DNR

do not resuscitate

DOB

date of birth

Dx

diagnosis

ELOS

estimated length of stay

eval.

evaluate

FH

family history

h or hr.

hour

H&P

history and physical

HEENT

head

h/o

history of

HOB

head of bed

ht.

height

Hx

history

LOS

length of stay

LTG

Long term goal

Meds

medications

Noc

night

NPO or npo

nothing by mouth

OOB

out of bed

OTC

Over the counter

qid

four times a day

qh

every hour

q2h

every two hours

re:

regarding

R/O or r/o

rule out

ROS

review of symptoms (anything else not directly related to the chief complaint)

Rx

prescription

s̅

without

S/P or s/p

status post

sig

directions for use

SOAP

Subjective

stat.

immediate(ly)

STG

Short-term goal

Sx

symptoms

tid

twice a day

TO or t.o

telephone order

tol

tolerate

Tx

treatment

VO or v.o.

verbal order

y/o or y.o

year old

wt.

weight

wk.

week

~ or ≅

approximately

Δ

change

↓

down

♂

Male

♀

Female

#

number or pounds

x

number of times

1°

primary

→

to

2°

secondary

←→

to and from

↑

up

A&O

Alert & Oriented

ā

before

Suffix

A word part that comes at the end of the medical term.