Abbreviations

Flashcards for common medical abbreviations

DON

Director of Nursing

O2

Oxygen

OBRA

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

Dx, dx

Diagnosis

ac, a.c.

Before meals

ad lib

As desired

ADLs

Activities of Daily Living

amb

Ambulate, Ambulatory

amt

Amount

ap

Apical

as tol

As tolerated

ax.

Axillary (armpit)

BID, b.i.d.

Two times a day

BM

Bowel Movement

BP, B/P

Blood Pressure

BPM

Beats per minute

BRP

Bathroom privileges

BSC

Bedside commode

c

With

C

Centigrade

cath.

Catheter

C. diff

Clostridium difficile

CHF

Congestive heart failure

c/o

Complains of

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident, stroke

DAT

Diet as tolerated

DNR

Do not resuscitate

DOB

Date of birth

F

Fahrenheit

FF

Force fluids

ft

Foot

H₂O

Water

h, hr, hr.

Hour

HBV

Hepatitis B virus

HOB

Head of bed

HS, hs

Hours of sleep

ht

Height

HTN

Hypertension

hyper

Above normal, too fast, rapid

hypo

Low, less than normal

I&O

Intake and output

inc

Incontinent

isol

Isolation

IV, I.V.

Intravenous (within a vein)

lab

Laboratory

lb.

Pound

LTC

Long-term care

meds

Medications

mL

Milliliter

mm Hg

Millimeters of mercury

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

N/A

Not applicable

NKA

No known allergies

NPO

Nothing by mouth

OOB

Out of bed

OZ

Ounce

p

After

peri care

Perineal care

per os, PO

By mouth

PPE

Personal protective equipment

p.r.n., pri

When necessary

q

Every

q2h

Every two hours

q3h

Every three hours

q4h

Every four hours

R

Respirations, rectal

rehab

Rehabilitation

RF

Restrict fluids

ROM

Range of motion

s

Without

SOB

Shortness of breath

spec.

Specimen

S&S, S/S

Signs and symptoms

stat, STAT

Immediately

T., temp

Temperature

TB

Tuberculosis

TID, t.i.d.

Three times a day

TPR

Temperature, pulse, and respiration

UTI

Urinary tract infection

VS, vs

Vital signs

w/c, W/C

Wheelchair

wt.

Weight