Symbols, Abbreviation, Do Not Use list

—

negative

%

percent

@

at

°

degree

~

about, approximately

+

positive

> (error prone)

greater than

< (error prone)

less than

△

change

↑

higher, elevated, up

→

to the right

↓

lower down

←

to the left

♀

female

ABX

antibiotic

ad lib

as desired

AM, am

morning, before noon

b.i.d., BID

twice a day

c̄

with

CC

chief complaint

c/o

complains of

CBC

complete blood count

consult

consultation

CT

computerized tomography

CXR

chest x-ray

DOB

date of birth

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

ER

emergency room

H2O

water

H&P

History and physical examh

h/o or H/O

history of

hs

bedtime

ht

height

Hx

history

IV

intravenous

lb or #

pound

min.

minutes

NKDA

No known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth (nil per os)

OB/GYN

obstetrician/gynecologist

OR

operating room

OTC

over-the-counter

OV

Office visit

oz

ounce

p̄

after

PM, pm

after noon

PMH

past medical history

postop

after surgery, postoperativep

pre-op

before surgery, preoperative

PRN

as needed

Pro. Time

prothrombin time (clotting test)

q

every

Rx

prescription

s̄

without

SOB

shortness of breath

stat, STAT

immediately

Sx

symptoms

T&C

type and crossmatch

t.i.d. or TID

three times a day

TPR

temperature, pulse, respiration

UA

urinalysis

ung

ointment

VS, V/S

Vital signs

WNL

within normal limits

wt

weight

y/o

year(s) old

DO NOT USE: U or u

“unit”

DO NOT USE: IU

“international unit”

DO NOT USE: Q.D., QD, q.d., qd

“daily”

DO NOT USE: Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d., qod

“every other day”

DO NOT USE: 4.0

“4”

DO NOT USE: .4

“0.4”

DO NOT USE: MS, MSO4, and MgSO4

“morphine sulphate” or “magnesium sulphate”

DO NOT USE: µg

“microgram”, “mcg”

DO NOT USE: SC, SQ, subQ

“subcutaneous”

DO NOT USE: D/C

“discharge” or “discontinue”

DO NOT USE: cc

mL, milliliter