Medical Terminology: Abbreviations, Prefixes, and Suffixes for Nursing Students

ABBREVIATIONS

Shortened forms of words or phrases used in medical contexts.

PREFIXES

Elements added to the beginning of a word to modify its meaning.

SUFFIXES

Elements added to the end of a word to modify its meaning.

clients' charts

Records that contain patient information and medical history.

d/c

Discontinue

PCP

Primary Care Provider

PT

Physical therapy

RT

Resp. Therapy

R, rt

Right

L, Lt

Left

U

Upper

L

Lower

E

Extremity

RUE

Right Upper Extremity

OOB

Out of bed

OTC

Over the counter (drugs)

oz

Ounce

PC

After meals

PM

Evening

p.o.

By mouth

p.r.

Per rectal

preop

Before surgery

PRN

As needed

pt

Patient

REM

Rapid eye movement

ROM

Range of motion

Rx

Prescription

S/S

Signs & symptoms

stat

Immediately

STI/STD

Sexually transmitted Infections

sc

Subcutaneous

Subling

Sublingual

supp

Suppository

susp

Suspension

Sx

Symptoms

tab

Tablet

TLC

Total lung capacity

TPR

Temperature pulse respiration

TX

Treatment

UA

Urinalysis

VS

Vital signs

WNL

Within normal limits

Wt

Weight

AAOX3

Awake, alert & oriented X3

Abd

Abdomen

AC

Before meals

ADL

Activity of daily living

AM

Morning

AMA

Against Medical Advice

A-P

Anterior - Posterior

BM

Bowel movement

BMI

Body Mass Index

BMR

Basal Metabolic Rate

BP

Blood pressure

BRP

Bathroom privileges

CDI

Clean, dry and intact

CNS

Central nervous system

c/o

Complaint of

Dr

Doctor

drsg

Dressing

DNR

Do not resuscitate

Dx

Diagnosis

g, gm

Gram

hr

Hour

Hct

Hematocrit

Hgb

Hemoglobin

HOB

Head of bed

HS

At bedtime or Hour of sleep

Ht

Height

Hx

History

H&P

History and physical

IM

Intramuscular

ID

Intradermal

I & O

Intake & output

IV

Intravenous

Kg

Kilogram

KVO

Keep vein open

LMP

Last menstrual period

LOC

Level of consciousness

LP

Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)

mcg

Micrograms

mL

Milliliters

MVC

Motor vehicle collision

NKFA

No known food allergy

NKA

No known allergies

NKDA

No known drugs allergies

NPO

Nothing by mouth

O2

Oxygen

fore-

in front of, before

gastro-

Stomach

glosso-

Tongue

glyco-

Sugar

hemi-

Half

hemo-/hema-

Blood

hepa/hepato-

Liver

histo-

Tissue

homo-

Same

hydro-

Water

hyper-

high, excessive

a-, an-

without (none)