MedicalAcronyms,AbbreviationsandSymbols

Eachfacilitywillhavealistofapprovedacronyms,abbreviations,andsymbols. Pleaseasktoreviewthislistateachfacility.Anacronymorabbreviationmayhave morethanonemeaning.Evaluatetheacronymorabbreviationincontext. Someacronyms,abbreviations,andsymbolshavebecomeunacceptabletouse duetotheirhighpropensityforerror.Someareincludedinthislist,followedby (unacceptableabbreviation).Attheendofthisfileisatableofunacceptable abbreviationsthattheJointCommissionforAccreditationofHealthcareFacilities requiresforallhealthcareinstitutions.Eachfacilityisalsosupposedtoaddadditional donotuseacronyms,etc.DoNOTusetheseacronyms,abbreviations,orsymbols. Youwillstillseethemincharts(oldhabitsdiehard)soyouneedtoknowthem.In addition,drugnamesarenottobeabbreviatedwiththeexceptionofASA,HCTZ,and vitamins. Inadditiontotheabbreviation,youshouldknowthedefinitionofthewordorhave anideaoftheconditiondescribedbytheacronymorabbreviation.Youshouldalso knowmetricabbreviations(L,mg,ml,etc)andabbreviationsofcommonmineralsalong withvalence. A c AAA AAAAA ACE ACLS AD ADH ADL adlib AH AHD AIDS AK AKA AMA AMI ANP ARC ARF ARI ARDS art before(ante) beforemeals abdominalaorticaneurysm,acuteanxietyattack aphasia,agnosia,apraxia,agraphia,alexia angiotensinconvertingenzyme advancedcardiaclifesupport admittingdiagnosis antidiuretichormone activitiesofdailyliving asdesired abdominalhysterectomy arterioscleroticheartdisease acquiredimmunedeficiencysyndrome abovetheknee abovethekneeamputation againstmedicaladviceAmericanMedicalAssociation acutemyocardialinfarction advancednursepractitioner AIDSrelatedcomplex acuterenalfailure acuterespiratoryinfection adultrespiratorydistresssyndromeacuterespiratorydistresssyndrome. arterial

ATN ASA ASCVD ATN Aus A&W

acutetubularnecrosis aspirin arterioscleroticcardiovasculardisease acutetubularnecrosis auscultation aliveandwell B

BG bid Bil(at) BK BKA BLE BM B/O bol BP BPH bronch BS BSA BSN

bloodglucose twicedaily bilateral belowknee belowthekneeamputation bothlowerextremities bowelmovementbonemarrow becauseof bolus bloodpressurebathroomprivilegesbedpan benignprostatichypertrophy bronchoscopybronchoscope bloodsugar bodysurfacearea BachelorofScienceinNursing C

CA CAB CABG CAD CAT cath CC CCRN CCU CEU CICU CHF CAPD CKD CN CNM CNSN COPD CP

cancer,carcinoma coronaryarterybypass coronaryarterybypassgraft coronaryarterydisease computerizedaxialtomography catheter,catheterize chiefcomplaintcomplicationsandcomorbidities CertifiedCriticalCareRegisteredNurse cardiaccareunit,coronarycareunit continuingeducationunit cardiac(coronary)intensivecareunit congestiveheartfailure continuousambulatoryperitonealdialysis chronickidneydisease chargenurse certifiednursemidwifeclinicalnursemanager CertifiedNutritionSupportNurse chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease chestpain

CPAP CRF CSF CVA CVD CXR

continuous(constant)positiveairwaypressure chronicrenalfailure cerebrospinalfluid cerebrovascularaccident cardiovasculardisease chestxray D

DAT DC,dc D/C DD decub DM DNR DOB DOA DOE DON Decub DRG DSM DT DVT DW Dx

dietastolerated discontinue discharge(unacceptableabbreviation) differentialdiagnosis lyingdown(decubitus) diabetesmellitus donotresuscitate dateofbirth dateofadmission dyspneaonexertion directorofnurses decubitusulcer DiagnosisRelatedGroup DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders deliriumtremens deepveinthrombosis distilledwaterdryweight diagnosis E

EBL EC ECF Echo Ecoli ECMO ECV ECW ED EDC edent EEG EENT

estimatedbloodloss entericcoated extendedcarefacility echocardiogram Escherichiacoli extracorporealmembraneoxygenation extracellularvolume extracellularwater emergencydepartment estimateddateofconfinement edentulous electroencephalogram eye,ear,nose,throat

EEP EF EFA EGA EKG ELISA EN EOMB EPAP EPI EPO EPS ESLD ESRD ET ETD Etiol ETOH Exp

endexpiratorypressure ejectionfraction essentialfattyacids estimatedgestationalage electrocardiogram enzymelinkedimmunosorbentassay(immunologicaltesting) enteralnutrition explanationofmedicalbenefits expiratorypositiveairwaypressure epinephrine erythropoietin extrapyramidalsymptoms endstageliverdisease endstagerenaldisease endotrachealtube estimatedtimeofdeath etiology ethylalcohol expired F

F FBG FAS FBS FOB FTN FTP FTT F/O FUO Fx

female fastingbloodglucose fetalalcoholsyndrome fastingbloodsugar footofbed fulltermnursery failuretoprogress failuretothrive followup feverofundeterminedorigin fracture G

GALT GB GBD GBS GC GERD GFR GI G GSW

gutassociatedlymphoidtissue gallbladder gallbladderdisease gallbladderseries gonococcus gastroesophagealrefluxdisease glomerularfilatrationrate gastrointestinal gravida gunshotwound

GU

gastriculcer,genitourinary H

HA HCO3 HCTZ HDN HD HEENT hemi HH HHNKS HI HIV HL HLHS H&N H&P H/Oh/o HOB HOH HR hs Htn Hx

headache bicarbonate hydrochlorothiazide hemolyticdiseaseofthenewborn hemodialysis head,eyes,ears,nose,andthroat hemiplegia,hemiplegic hiatalhernia hyperglycemic,hyperosomolarnonketoticsyndrome headinjury humimmunodeficiencyvirus hearingloss hypoplasticleftheartsyndrome headandneck historyandphysical historyof headofbed hardofhearing heartrate bedtime hypertension history I

IBD IBS ICW IGT IHD INH I&O IUGR IVP IVPB ISVD

inflammatoryboweldisease irritablebowelsyndrome intracellularwater impairedglucosetolerance ischemicheartdisease isoniazid intakeandoutput intrauterinegrowthretardation intravenouspyelographyintravenouspush Intravenouspiggyback interventricularseptaldefect

JCAHO

JointCommissiononAccreditationofHealthcareOrganizations K

K KCl KDC KLS KVO KUB

potassium potassiumchloride infantwarmingbed kidney,liver,spleen keepveinopen(IVrateofusually25cc/hrwithNSorD5W) kidney,ureter,bladder L

lap LBW LCSW LES LFT LGA LLQ LMP LOC LOS LP LR LRQ LTC LVH lytes

laporotomy lowbirthweight licensedclinicalsocialworker loweresopohagealspinchter liverfunctiontests largeforgestationalage lowerleftquadrant lastmenstrualperiod laxativeofchoice(unacceptableabbreviation)levelofconsciousness lengthofstay lumbarpuncture lactatedringers lowerrightquadrant longtermcare leftventricularhypertrophy electrolytes M

M MAOI MDD mec medsurg mEq mEq/L met(s) MI MICU mM M&M mmHg

Male,married monamineoxidaseinhibitor majordepressivedisorder meconium medicalsurgical milliequivalents milliequivalentsperliter metastasis,metastasize,metastasizing myocardialinfarction medicalintensivecareunit millimole morbidity&mortality millimetersofmercury(BPunit)

MO MOM Mono Mosm MR MRSA MRI MS MSW MT MVA MVP

mineraloilmonthsold milkofmagnesia monocytemononucleosis milliosmol magneticresonancemedicalrecordsmentalretardation methicillinresistantstaphaureus magneticresonanceimaging mitralstenosismultiplesclerosis MasterofSocialWork medicaltechnologist motorvehicleaccident mitralvalveprolapse

N N/A NAD NAS NEC NG(T) NH(P) NKA Nl NIDDM NOS NPO NS NSAID N&V NVD notavailable noacutedistress noaddedsalt necrotizingenterocolitis nasogastric(tube) nursinghome(placement) noknownallergies normal noninsulindependantdiabetesmellitus(nottobeusedanymore) nototherwisespecifiednoorganismsseen nilperos(nothingbymouth) normalsalineneurosurgery nonsteroidalantiinflammatorydrug nauseaandvomiting nausea,vomiting,diarrhea

O OB OBS OC OOB OR Ortho O2sat OT OTC obstetrics organicbrainsyndrome oralcontraceptive outofbed operatingroom orthopedics oxygensaturation occupationaltherapy overthecounter

P p P PA P&A PACU Para Path p.c. PCA PVN PCOD PDA PE PEEP PEG PERRLA PFT PH PT PTA PICC PIP PKU PMH PN POpo POD# Postop PP PPBS PRpr Preop PRN Prog PSA PTA PUD Pulm PVC P/YPY postafter paraphosphoruspulse perniciousanemiaPhysiciansAssistant percussionandauscultation postanaesthesiacareunit para(nullipara,primiparia,Para!,ParaII,etc) pathology aftermeals patientcontrolledanalgesia penicillin polycysticovariandisease patentductusarteriosus pelvicexamphysicalexam positiveendexpiratorypressure percutaneousendoscopicgastrostomy pupilsequal,round,reactivetolightandaccommodation pulmonaryfunctiontest pasthistory physicaltherapy priortoadmission/arrival peripherallyinsertedcentralcatheter positiveinspiratorypressure phenylketonuria pastmedicalhistory parenteralnutrition peros(bymouth)phoneorder postoperativeday# postoperative postpartumpostprandial postprandialbloodsugar perrectum preoperative prorenata(asnecessary) prognosisprogress prostatespecificantigen priortoadmission pepticulcerdisease pulmonary prematureventricularcontraction packyear(cigarettes)

Q q QDqd QHqh QODqod every everyday(unacceptableabbreviation) everyhour everyotherday(unacceptableabbreviation) R R RA Resp RDS Re Rh RIA RLE RLL RLQ RN R/O ROM ROS RQ RR RRR RT RUE RUQ Rx rectalrespirationright rheumatoidarthritisrightatriumroomair respiratoryrespiration respiratorydistresssyndrome concerning rhesusfactor(willbe+or) radioimmunoassay rightlowerextremity rightlowerlobe rightlowerquadrant registerednurse ruleout rangeofmotionruptureofmembranes reviewofsymptoms respiratoryquotient respiratoryraterecoveryroom regularrateandrhythm respiratorytherapistradiationtherapy rightupperextremity rightupperquadrant prescription,take,therapy,treatment

S s SAH SB SBE SBO SC SCN SGA SIADH SIDS without subarachnoidhemorrhage smallbowelshortbowel shortnessofbreathonexertion,subacutebacterialendocarditis smallbowelobstruction sicklecell specialcarenursery smallforgestationalage syndromeofinappropriateantidiuretichormone suddeninfantdeathsyndrome

SLE SNF SO S/O SOAP SOB Sol S/Ps/p SQ S&S,S/S ssSSSSE ss ST Staph STD stat Strep Subq supp susp Sz

systemiclupuserythematosus skillednursingfacility significantother signedout subjective,objective,assessment,plan shortnessofbreath solution statuspost subcutaneous signsandsymptoms soapsuds(enema) onehalf(notacceptable) speechtherapist staphyloccus sexuallytransmitteddiseaseshorttermdisability statim(immediately) streptococcus subcutaneous suppository suspension seizure T

T,temp Tmax tab TAC tachy TAH TB TBSA TBLC TBW T&C TF THR TIA tid TO top tol TPN TURP TWE

temperaturetime maximumtemperature tablet temporalarterycatheter tachycardia totalabdominalhysterectomy tuberculosis totalburnsurfacearea termbirth,livingchild totalbodywater typeandcrossmatch tubefeeding totalhipreplacement transientischemicattack threetimesaday telephoneorder topically tolerate,tolerated,tolerance totalparenteralnutrition transurethralresectionofprostate tapwaterenema

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Tx

treatment U

U,u UAC UAO unk UOP upadlib UR URI Urol USU/S USP UTI

unit(unacceptableabbreviation) umbilicalarterycatheter upperairwayobstruction unknown urinaryoutput up(outofbed)asdisired(adlibitum) upperrespiratoryutilizationreview upperrespiratoryinfection urologyurologist ultrasound UnitedStatesPharmacopeia urinarytractinfection V

V VH V/D Vent viz VLBW VO VO2 vol VP VRSA VS

ventricularvolume vaginalhysterectomy vomitinganddiarrhea ventralventricularventilator thatis,namely verylowbirthweight verbalorder oxygenconsumption volume venouspressure vancomycinresistantstaphaureus vitalsigns

W WB WBN WCw/c w/d WD WFwf WFL WMwm

whitewidowed weightbearing wellbabynursery wheelchair welldevelopedwarmanddry welldeveloped whitefemale withinfunctionallimits whitemale

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WNw/n WNL Wt W/Uw/u

wellnourished withinnormallimits weight workup

X X Xmatch times crossmatch Y YOy/o YTD year(s)old yeartodate Z Symbols

decrease increase female male primary secondary lowercase alpha lowercasebetaprefixdenotingthesecondofaseries lowercasegammaprefixdenotingthirdofaseries uppercasedeltaamountofchangeordifference lowercasemu,micrometer(micron).Unacceptablesymbol.

1 2

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DONOTUSE MedicalAcronyms&Abbreviations
Abbreviation U(forunit) IU(forinternationalunit) PotentialProblem PreferredTerm

Mistakenaszero,fouror Write"unit" cc MistakenasIV Write"internationalunit" (intravenous)or10(ten) Write"daily"and"every otherday"

Q.D., Mistakenforeachother. Q.O.D. TheperiodaftertheQ (Latinabbreviationfor canbemistakenforan oncedailyandeveryother "I"andthe"O"canbe day) mistakenfor"I". Trailingzero(X.0mg) [Note:Prohibitedonlyfor medicationrelated notations] Lackofleadingzero(.X mg) MS MSO4 MgSO4 Decimalpointismissed.

Neverwriteazeroby itselfafteradecimal point(Xmg),andalways useazerobeforea decimalpoint(0.Xmg)

Confusedforone another. Canmeanmorphine sulfateormagnesium sulfate. Mistakenformg (milligrams)resultingin onethousandfold dosingoverdose.

Write"morphinesulfate" or"magnesiumsulfate"

mg (formicrogram)

Write"mcg"

H.S. (forhalfstrengthorLatin abbreviationforbedtime)

Mistakenforeitherhalf Writeout"halfstrength" strengthorhourofsleep or"atbedtime" (atbedtime).q.H.S. mistakenforeveryhour. Allcanresultinadosing error. Mistakenforthreetimes adayortwiceweekly resultinginanoverdose. Write"3timesweekly" or"threetimesweekly"

T.I.W. (forthreetimesaweek)

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S.C.orS.Q. (forsubcutaneous) D/C (fordischarge)

MistakenasSLfor sublingual,or"5every" Interpretedas discontinuewhatever medicationsfollow (typicallydischarge meds). MistakenforU(units) whenpoorlywritten. MistakenforOS,OD, andOU,etc.).

Write"SubQ","subQ", or"subcutaneously" Write"discharge"

c.c. (forcubiccentimeter) A.S.,A.D.,A.U. (Latinabbreviationforleft, right,orbothears)

Write"ml"formilliliters

Write:"leftear,""right ear"or"bothears"

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