Nursing Abréviation, Suffixes, and Prefixes

post-

after

poly-

many, much

anti-

against

-itis

inflammation

-osis

abnormal condition

-ectomy

surgical removal

-otomy

incision, cutting into

-ostomy

creation of an opening

-pathy

disease

-algia

pain

-emia

blood condition

-titis

inflammation

-ology

study of

-scopy

visual examination

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-megaly

enlargement

cardi/o

heart

angi/o

vessel

phleb/o, ven/o

vein

arteri/o

artery

hem/o, hemat/o

blood

pulmon/o

lung

bronch/o

bronchus

pneum/o

lung, air

rhin/o

nose

laryng/o

larynx, voice box

gastr/o

stomach

hepat/o

liver

enter/o

intestine

col/o

colon

esophag/o

esophagus

arthr/o

joint

oste/o

bone

my/o

muscle

spondyl/o

vertebra

chondr/o

cartilage

neur/o

nerve

cephal/o

head

derm/o, dermat/o

skin

nephr/o, ren/o

kidney

cyt/o

cell

PO

by mouth

IV

intravenous

IM

intramuscular

SubQ / SC

subcutaneous

SL

sublingual (under the tongue)

PR

per rectum

top.

topical

NPO

nothing by mouth

qd

every day

bid

twice a day

tid

three times a day

qid

four times a day

q4h

every 4 hours

q8h

every 8 hours

prn

as needed

stat

immediately

ac

before meals

pc

after meals

hs

at bedtime

VS

vital signs

T

temperature

HR / P

heart rate / pulse

RR

respiratory rate

BP

blood pressure

O2 sat / SpO2

oxygen saturation

WNL

within normal limits

LOC

level of consciousness

Dx

diagnosis

Hx

history

Tx

treatment

Sx

symptoms

Rx

prescription

c/o

complains of

I&O

intake and output

ADL

activities of daily living

DNR

do not resuscitate

ABT

antibiotic