Unit 1 Common symbols, abbreviations, and Do not use list

Unit 1 Health Science

-

Negative

%

Percent

@

at

°

degree

~

about, approximately

+

positive

>

greater than

<

less than

Δ

change

↑

higher, elevated up

→

to the right

←

to the left

↓

lower or down

♀

female

ABX

antibiotic

ad lib

as desired

AM, am

morning, before noon

b.i.d. or BID

twice a day

c̄

with

CC

chief complaint

c/o

complain 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 exam

h/o or H/O

history of

hs

bedtime (write it out)

ht

height

Hx

history

IV

introvenous

lb or #

pound

min.

minutes

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

OB/GYN

obstetrician/gynecologist

OR

operating room

OTC

over-the-counter

OV

office visit

oz

ounces

p̄

after

PM, pm

afternoon

PMH

past medical history

postop

after surgery, postoperative

pre-op

before surgery, preoperative

PRN

as needed

Pro. Time

prothrombin time (blood clotting test)

PTT

partial thromboplastin time (blood 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

3 times a day

TPR

temperature, pulse, respiration

UA

urinalysis

ung

ointment

VS, V/S

vital signs

WNL

within normal limits

wt

weight

y/o

years old

U or u

unit

IU

international unit

Q.D., QD, q.d., qd

Daily or once daily

Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d., qod

Every other day

Lacking of leading zeroes before decimals

right: 0.4mg, wrong: .4mg

MS, MSO4 and MgSO4

Morphine sulphate and magnesium sulfate

Trailing 0’s

right: 4mg, wrong: 4.0mg

µg

micrograms (mcg)

SC, SQ, sub Q

subcutaneous

D/C

Discharge or discontinue

cc (cubic centimeters)

1mL