Basic Nursing Review

ADL

Activities of daily living

ad lib

As desired, if the patient desires

AKA  

Above-knee amputation

Amb   

Ambulation, ambulatory

Amt    

Amount

ASAP 

As soon as possible

Bid     

Twice a day

BM    

Bowel movement

BR      

Bedrest

BRP   

Bathroom privileges

BSC   

Bedside commode

c–       

With

Cal  

    Calories

Cath   

Catheter

CBC   

Complete blood count

CCU   

Critical care unit or coronary care unit

c/o      

Complaint of

CO2   

Carbon dioxide

CPR   

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CVA   

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

D&C  

Dilation and curettage

DM    

  Diabetes mellitus

dsg or drsg     

Dressing

DX or Dx       

Diagnosis

EBL   

Estimated blood loss

EKG/ECG      

Electrocardiogram

ED/ER

Emergency department, emergency room

EEG   

Electroencephalogram

EENT 

Eyes, ears, nose, throat

ETOH

Alcohol

F

female

FBS

fasting blood sugar

ft

foot

fx

fracture

GI

gastrointestinal

gtt(s)

drop(s)

GU

genitourinary

GYN

gynecology

HA

headache

HMO

health maintenance organization

h/o

history of

hob or HOB

head of bed

HOH

hard of hearing

H&P

history and physical

Hr

hour

Ht

height

HTN

hypertension

Hyper

above or high

hypo

below or low

ICU

intensive care unit

I&O    

Intake and output

Isol     

Isolation

IV       

Intravenous

IVP     

Intravenous push (caution: do not use to mean “IV piggyback”)

L         

Liter

Lb       

Pound

LPN   

Licensed practical nurse

LMP

last menstrual period

LVN

licensed vocational nurse

mcg

microgram

MD

medical doctor

med

medication

Mg

miligram

mL

milliliter

MN

midnight

NAS   

No added salt

N/V/D

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

NKA or NKDA          

No known allergies or no known drug allergies

NG     

Nasogastric

NGT 

Nasogastric tube

noc    

  At night

NPO   

Nothing by mouth

O2      

Oxygen

OB     

Obstetrics

OOB   

Out of bed

OPD   

Outpatient department

ortho

orthopedics

OR

operating room

os       

Mouth, opening

OT      

Occupational therapy

oz

ounce

pc

after meals

PCA

patient-controlled analgesia

PO

by mouth

P, p-

After

PPBS

Postprandial blood sugar

pm

as needed

Pt

patient

PT

physical therapy

q

every

gam

every morning

qh

every hour

qid

four times a day

RN

registered nurse

R/O

rule out

RX or Rx

treatment or prescription

s-

without

SCD

sequential compression device

SOB

short of breath

ss-

one half