Nursing Abbreviations and Acronyms
Differentiating abbreviations from acronyms
- Abbreviations are shortened forms for written words or phrases used in a place of the whole (e.g., vol for volume).
- Acronyms are words formed from the initial letter of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term (e.g., CBC for complete blood count).
Abbreviations & Acronyms | Meaning |
aa | Of each, equal parts |
ABR | Absolute bed rest |
Abd. | Abdomen |
ac | Before meals |
AD | Admitting diagnosis |
A&D | Admission and discharge |
Ad lib | As desired, if the patient so desired |
ADL | Activities of daily living |
Adm. | Admission |
Ad. Spec. | Admission urine specimen |
A.M. or a.m., AM or am | Morning |
amb | Ambulation, walking, ambulatory, |
able to walk | |
amt. | Amount |
AP or A.P. | Appendectomy |
aqua | Water or H2O |
@ | At |
Approx. | Approximately |
B&B or b&b | Bowel and bladder training |
bid or B.I.D. or b.i.d. | Twice a day |
b.m. or B.M. | Bowel movement, feces |
B.P. or BP | Blood pressure |
BR or br or B.R. or b.r. | Bedrest |
BRP or B.R.P. or brp | Bathroom priviledges |
BSC or bsc | Bedside commode |
°C | Celsius degree (or centigrade) |
c | With |
Ca | Cancer |
Cath. | Catheter |
CBC or C.B.C. | Complete blood count |
cc or c.c | Cubic centimeter |
CCU or C.C.U | Cardiac care unit/ coronary care unit |
CBR or C.B.R. or cbr | Complete bed rest |
C/O or c/o | Complaint of |
CO2 | Carbon dioxide |
CS or C.S. or c.s | Central supply |
CSD or csd or C.S.D | Central service department |
CSR or csr and C.S.R | Central supply room |
CVA or C.V.A | Cerebrovascular accident or stroke |
CPR or C.P.R | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
dc or d/c | Discontinue |
del. M. Or d.r., or DR | Delivery room |
Disch or dish or D/C | Discharge |
D. % C. or D&C | Dilatation and curettage |
drsg. | Dressing |
DOA or D.O.A | Dead on arrival |
Dr. or Dr | Doctor |
DX | Diagnosis |
ECG or EKG | Electrocardiogram |
ED or E.D. | Emergency department |
EEG or E.E.G. | Electroencephalogram |
EENT or E.E.N.T. | Eye, ears, nose and throat |
E. or E | Enema |
ER or E.R. | Emergency room |
°F | Fahrenheit degree |
F. or Fe. or F or Fe | Female |
FBS or F.B.S | Fasting blood sugar |
FF or F.F. | Forced feeding or forced fluids |
ft | Foot |
Fx | Fracture |
Fx urine | Fractional urine |
gal | Gallon |
GI or G.I. | Gastrointestinal |
gt | One drop |
gtt | Two or more drops |
Gtt or G.T.T. | Glucose tolerance test |
GU or G.U | Genitourinary |
Gyn. or G.Y.N. | Gynecology |
H2O | Water or aqua |
HOB | Head of bed |
hr | Hour |
HS or hs | Bedtime or hour of sleep |
ht | Height |
hyper | Above or high |
hypo | Below or low |
H.W.B. or hwb or HWB | Hot water bottle |
ICU or I.C.U. | Intensive care unit |
I&O or I.&O. | Intake and output |
Irr | Irregular |
Isol. Or isol | Isolation |
IV or I.V. | Intravenous |
L | Liter |
Lab. or lab | Laboratory |
lb | Pound |
LVN or L.V.N | Licensed vocational nurse |
M | Male |
Mat | Maternity |
MD or M.D. | Medical doctor |
Meas | Measure |
mec | Meconium |
med | Medicine |
min | Minute |
ml | Milliliter |
Mn or mn or M/n | Midnight |
N.A. or N/A | Nursing aide or nursing assistant |
n/g tube or ng. tube or N.G.T. | Nasogastric tube |
noct | At night |
NP | Neuropsychiatric or nursing procedure |
NPO or N.P.O | Nothing by mouth |
nsy | Nursery |
O2 | Oxygen |
OB or O.B. | Obstetrics |
Obt or obt. | Obtained |
OJ or O.J. | Orange juice |
Orb. | Orderly |
OOB or O.O.B. | Out of bed |
OPD or O.P.D. | Outpatient department |
OR or O.R. | Operating room |
Ortho | Orthopedics |
OT or O.T | Occupational therapy or oral temperature |
oz. | Ounce |
PAR or P.A.R. | Postanesthesia room |
Pc | After meals |
Ped or Peds | Pediatrics |
Per | by, through |
p.m. or P.M., pm or PM | Afternoon |
PMC or P.M.C | Postmortem care |
PN or P.N. | Pneumonia |
po | By mouth |
post or p | after |
postop or post op | Postoperative |
post op spec | After surgery urine specimen |
PP | Postpartum (after delivery) |
PPBS | Postprandial blood sugar |
pre | Before |
prn or p.r.n. | Whenever necessary, when required |
preop or pre op | Before surgery |
pre op spec | Urine specimen before surgery |
prep | Prepare the patient for surgery by shaving the skin. |
Pt or pt | Patient; pint |
PT or P.T. | Physical therapy |
q | Every |
qd | Every day |
qh | Every hour |
q2h | Every 2 hours |
q3h | Every 3 hours |
q4h | Every 4 hours |
QHS or qhs | Every night at bed time/ hour of sleep |
qid or Q.I.D. | Four times a day |
qam or q am or q.a.m. | Every morning |
qod or Q.O.D | Every other day |
qs | Quantity sufficient, as much as required |
qt | quart |
r or R | rectal or Rectal |
Rm or rm | Room |
RN or R.N. | Registered nurse |
Rom or R.O.M. | Range of motion |
RR or R Rm. | Recovery room |
Rx | Prescription or treatment ordered by a physician |
s or ? | Without |
S&A | Sugar and acetone |
S&A test or S.& A. test | Sugar and acetone test |
S&K or S.& K. test | Sugar and ketone test |
SOB | Shortness of breath |
sos | Whenever emergency arises; only if necessary |
SPD | Special purchasing department |
Spec or spec. | Specimen |
ss or ?? | One-half |
SSE or S.S.E. | Soapsuds enema |
Stat | At once, immediately |
STD | Sexually transmitted disease |
Surg | Surgery |
tid or T.I.D. | Three times a day |
TLC or tlc | Tender loving care |
TPR | Temperature, pulse, respiration |
TWE | Tap water enema |
U/a or U/A or u/a | Urinalysis |
Ung. | Ointment, unguentine |
VDRL | Test for syphilis |
V.S or VS | Vital signs |
WBC or W.B.C. | White blood count |
w/c | Wheel chair |
wc or W.C. | Ward clerk |
wt | Weight |
