HOSA COMP
ABBR - meaning
abd - abdomen
ABGs - arterial blood gasesaxi
ac - before meals
ACLS - advanced cardiac life support
ad lib - as desired
ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AKA - above knee amputation
AMA - against medical advice
ASA - aspirin
ASAP - as soon as possible
BE - barium enema
BKA - below knee amputation
BM - bowel movement
BMI - body mass index
BP - blood pressure
BPH - benign prostatic hypertrophy
BPM - beats per minute
BRP - bathroom privileges
BSA - body surface area
BUN - blood urea nitrogen
bx - biopsy
Do not use: OD, OS, OU - Use: right eye, left eye, both eyes
Do not use: AD, AS, AU - Use: right ear, left ear, both ears
Do not use: / - Use: per
Do not use: & or + - Use: and
Do not use: MS, MSO4 - Use: morphine
Do not use: MgSO4 - Use: magnesium sulfate
Do not use: abbreviated medication names - Use: full name of medication
Do not use: nitro - Use: nitroglycerin
Do not use: decimal points without leading zero (.5 mg) - Use: smaller units (500 mcg) or a leading zero (0.5 mg)
Do not use: trailing zero (1.0 mg, 100.0 g) - Use: no trailing zero (1 mg, 100 g)
Do not use: u, U, IU - Use: units
Do not use: ug - Use: mcg or micrograms
Do not use: x3d - Use: times 3 days
Do not use: cc - Use: mL
Do not use apothecary units - Use: metric units
Do not use: od, O.D., OD - Use: daily or intended time of administration
Do not use: q.d, qd, Q.D, QD, q1d, i/d - Use: daily
Do not use: q.o.d., QOD - Use: every other day
Do not use: Q6PM, etc. - Use: 6 p.m. daily or daily at 6 p.m
Do not use: TIW, tiw - Use: 3 times weekly
Do not use: mg., mL. - Use: mg, mL (no period)
Do not use: HS - Use: half-strength, bedtime (hour of sleep)
Do not use: BT, hs, HS, qhs, qn - Use: bedtime of hour of sleep
Do not use: SC, SQ, sub q - Use: subcutaneously
Do not use: IN - Use: intranasal
Do not use: IJ - Use: injection
Do not use: OJ - Use: orange juice
Do not use: > or < - Use: greater than or less than
Do not use: @ - Use: at
EEG - electroencephalogram
ENT - ear, nose, throat
F - Fahrenheit
FBS, FBG - fasting blood sugar/glucose
f/u - follow up
FUO - fever of unknown origin
fx - fracture
GI - gastrointestinal
GTT - glucose tolerance test
GU - genitourinary
GYN - gynecology, gynecologist
h, hr - hour
H2O - water
Hct - hematocrit
HEENT - head, ears, eyes, nose, throat
HF - heart failure
Hgb - hemoglobin
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
HPV - human papillomavirus
Htn, HTN - hypertension
hx - history
I&D - incision and drainage
I&O - intake and output
ICU - intensive care unit
IUD - intrauterine device
K - Potassium
KUB - kidneys, ureters, bladder
L - liter
lb - pound
LLE - left lower extremity (left leg)
LLL - left lower lobe
c with a line over it - with
C - Celsius
C&S - culture and sensitivity
ca - calcium, cancer
CABG - coronary artery bypass graft
CAD - coronary artery disease
CBC - complete blood cell count
CC - chief complaint
CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
cm - centimeter
CNS - central nervous system
CP - chest pain
CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation
c/o - complains of
COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
csf - cerebrospinal fluid
CT - computed tomography
cv - cardiovascular
CVA - cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
CXR - chest x-ray
d - day
D&C - dilation and curettage
D/C, dc - discontinue, discharge
DM - diabetes mellitus
DNR - do not resuscitate
DOB - date of birth
DTap - diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine
dx - diagnosis
ECG, EKG - electrocardiogram
ED - emergency department
PE - physical examination
PID - pelvic inflammatory disease
PMS - premenstrual syndrome
PO - by mouth
PRN - as needed
PT - physical therapy or therapist
pt - patient
RA - rheumatoid arthritis
RBC - red blood cell
RLE - right lower extremity (leg)
RLL - right lower lobe
RLO - right lower quadrant
R/O - rule out
ROM - range of motion
RT - respiratory therapy or therapist
RUE - right upper extremity (right arm)
RUQ - right upper quadrant
Rx - prescription
s with a line over it - without
SOB - shortness of breath stat immediately
STI - sexually transmitted infection
sx - symptoms
T&A - tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
TB - tuberculosis
TIA - transient ischemic attack
Tx - treatment
UA - urinalysis
URI - upper respiratory infection
UTI - urinary tract infection
VS - vital signs
WBC - white blood cell
WNL - within normal limits
LLQ - lower left quadrant
LMP - last menstrual period
LUE - left upper extremity (arm)
mg/dL - milligrams per deciliter
MI - myocardial infarction
mL - milliliters
MM - mucous membrane
mm Hg - milliliters of mercury
MRI - magnetic resonance imaging
MS - multiple sclerosis
N/V - nausea/vomiting
NB - newborn
NG - nasogastric
NKA - no known allergies
NPO - nothing by mouth (nil per os)
NS - normal saline
NSAID - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
O2 - oxygen
OB - obstetrics
OC - oral contraceptive
OOB - out of bed
OP - outpatient
OT - occupational therapy or therapist
OTC - over-the-counter
PA - posteroanterior, physician assistant
abdomin - abdomen
an - anus
appendic - appendix
bil,chol - bile, gall
col - colon (large intestine)
dent - teeth
enter - intestines
esophag - esophagus
gastr - stomach
gingiv - gums
gloss - tongue
hepat - liver
icter - jaundice
ile - ileum (small intestine)
lapar - abdominal wall
lingu - tongue
pancreat - pancreas
peps - digestion
phag - eating, swallowing
proct - rectum
splen - spleen
stomat - mouth
derm,dermat - skin
hidr - sweat
trich - hair
onych - nail
xer - dry
# - pounds,number
↑ - increase
↓ - decrease
♂ - male
♀ - female
' - feet
'' - inches
° - degrees
arthr - joint
brachi - arm
cervic - neck
chondr - cartilage
cost - rib
crani - skull
dactyl - finger,toe
fibr - connective tissue
my - muscle
oste - bone
pod - foot
sacr - sacrum (lower backbone)
spondyl - vertebra (backbone)
ten, tendin - tendon
vertebr - vertebra
aden - gland
pancreat - pancreas
thyr - thyroid gland
hem, hemat - blood
phleb - vein
thromb - clot
bronch - bronchial
laryng - larynx
nas - nose
pleur - pleura
pneum, pneumon - lungs, air
pulmon - lung
rhin - nose
steth - chest
thorac - thorax, chest
trache - trachea (airway, windpipe)
angi - blood vessel
arteri, arter - artery
cardi - heart
vas - vessel
ven - vein
andr - men
colp - vagina
cyst - bladder
gravid - pregnant
gynec - women
hyster - uterus, womb
mamm, mast - breast
metr - uterus
nephr - kidney
ov - ovum (egg)
oophor - ovary
orchid - testicles
prostat - prostate gland
pyel - pelvis of kidney
ren - kidney (renal)
salping - fallopian tube
ureter - ureters
ur - urinary
vesic - bladder
adip - fat
bi - life
carcin - cancer
cry - cold
dors - back portion of body
gluc, glyc - sugar
herni - hernia
hist - tissue
hydr - water
lact - milk
-centesis - surgical puncture
-cise - cut, remove
-clasis - to break down
-desis - stabilization, binding
-ectomy - excision, removal
-gram - record
-graph - instrument for recording
-graphy - process of recording
-ion - process
-lepsy - seizure, convulsion
-lysis - separation; destruction
-meter - device for measuring
-metry - process of measuring
-pexy - fixation, put in place
-plasty - surgical repair, reformation
-scopy - visual examination
-spasm - involuntary twitch, contraction
-stasis - stopping, controlling
-stomy - new opening
-tomy - incision
-tripsy - crushing
retro- - behind, in back of
sten- - narrowed
sub- - under
super-, supra- - above or excessive
sym-, syn- - together, with
tachy- - fast
trans- - across
tri- - three
ultra- - beyond, excess
uni- - one
-age - related to
-cidal, -cide - pertaining to killing
-form - shape
-fuge - driving away
-iatry, iatrist - healing by a provider, healer
-ical - pertaining to
-logy, -logist - study of, one who studies
-ole - little, small
-opia - vision
-phylaxis - protection, prevention
-pnea - breathing
-therapy - treatment
-uria - urine
-algia - pain
-asthenia - weakness
-cele - swelling, herniation
-dynia - pain
-ectasis - dilation, expansion
-emesis - vomiting
-emia - blood condition
-gen - producing
-ia, -ism - condition
-iasis - presence of; formation of
-itis - inflammation
-malacia - weakening of, softening of
-mania - obsessive preoccupation
-megaly - enlargement
-oid - seeming like
-ole - small
-oma - tumor
-osis - condition, usually abnormal
-pathy - disorder, disease
-penia - decrease, deficiency
-phagia - eating, swallowing
-phasia - speech
-phobia - fear
-plasia - formation of
-plegia - paralysis
-ptosis - drooping, falling
-rrhage - bursting forth
-rrhea - flow, discharge
-rrhexis - rupture
-scelrosis - hardening condition
-trophy - development
ab- - away from
ad- - toward
circum - around
contra- - against, in opposition to
de- - away from, down
ecto-, exo- - outside
endo- - within
epi- - over, upon
extra- - outside
infra- - below, under
intra- - inside
ipsi- - same, equal
meso- - middle
meta- - after, beyond, over
para- - beside, near
peri- - surrounding, around
retro- - backward, behind
sub- - under, near
trans- - across, through
anterior - front
bilateral - pertaining to both sides
caudal - tail (coccygeal area)
cephalic - head
dextro - right
distal - farther away from
dorsal recumbent - lying on the back with knees up and feet flat on the table
eversion - turning outward or inside out
extension - bringing a limb to a straight position
external - outside
flexion - bending a limb or body part at the joint
Fowler's - raising the head of the bed up to 90 degrees
inferior - below or directed downward
internal - inside
knee-chest, knee-elbow - drawing the knees up to the chest
lateral - side, away from the middle
lithotomy - on the back, flexing the legs on abducted thighs
medial - midline
oblique - slanting, on a incline
peripheral - outside the central area
posterior - back
prone - lying on the abdomen
proximal - toward the center or point of attachment
quadrant - dividing an area horizontally and vertically into four parts
recumbent - lying down