Clinical communication

Abbreviation
<

Audio

Description
less than

>

greater than

at

per cent

abdo

abdomen/abdominal

ac

before meals

ADLs

activities of daily living

A&E

accident and emergency

AIDS

acquired immune deficiency syndrome

AKA

above knee amputation

am

after midnight / before midday

angio

angiogram

AV

atrioventricular

Ba

barium

BA

bowel action

Ba Meal

barium meal

BCC

basal cell carcinoma

bd/BD

twice a day

BGL

blood glucose level

BGLs

blood glucose levels

BK

below knee

BKA

below knee amputation

BNO

bowels not opened

BO

bowels opened

B/P

blood pressure

BSL

blood sugar levels

BWO

bowels well opened

Celsius

Ca

cancer/calcium

CaBG

coronary artery bypass graft

CAD

coronary artery disease

Card

cardiac

CCF

congestive cardiac failure

CCU

coronary care unit

cm

centimetre

CNC

clinical nurse consultant

CNS

central nervous system

consult

consultation

COPD

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CPR

cardio-pulmonary resuscitation

CSF

cerebro-spinal fluid

CT

computed tomography

CT scan

computerised axial tomography scan

CVA

cerebro-vascular accident

CWMS

colour warmth movement sensation

CXR

chest X-ray

D/C

discharge/discontinue

DM

diabetes mellitus

DOA

dead on arrival

DOB

date of birth

DPC

delayed primary closure

dpm

drops per minute

Dr

doctor / medical officer

DRG

diagnostic related groups

DTs

delirium tremens

DVT

deep vein thrombosis

Dx (diag)

diagnosis

ECG

electro cardiograph

ED

emergency department

EEG

electroencephalogram

Emerg

emergency department

ENT

ear, nose and throat

ESWL

extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy

EtOH

ethanol (withdrawal symptoms)

EUA

examination under anaesthetic

FBC

fluid balance chart

FWB

full weight bearing

FWD

full ward diet

gram

GA

general anaesthetic

GI

gastrointestinal

GIT

gastrointestinal tract

gm

gram

GP

general practioner

GTN

glyceryl trinitrate

GTT

glucose tolerance test

Hb

haemoglobin

HDU

high dependency unit

HIV

human immunodeficiency virus

HNPU

has not passed urine

HNV

has not voided

ICU

intensive care unit

ID band

patient identification band / bracelet

IDC

indwelling catheter

IDDM

insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

IM

intramuscular

IMI

intramuscular injection

INR

International Normalized Ratio

ISQ

in status quo/remains the same

IU

International unit

IV

intravenous

IVABs

intravenous antibiotics

IVI

intravenous injection

IV Morph

intravenous morphine

IVP

intravenous pyelogram

IVT

intravenous therapy

JVP

jugular venous pressure

KCl

potassium chloride

Kg

kilograms

KVO

keep vein open

litre

L)

left

LA

local anaesthetic

LAD

left anterior descending (coronary artery)

lat

lateral

LFT

liver function tests

LL

lower lobe

LLQ

left lower quadrant

l/min

litres per minute

L / min

litres per minute

LMO

local medical officer

LMP

last menstrual period

LOC

loss of consciousness

LP

lumbar puncture

L&S BP

lying & standing blood pressure

LUQ

left upper quadrant

mane

morning

mcg

micrograms

MC&S

microscopy, culture and sensitivity (tests)

Meds

medications

mg

milligram

mgs

milligrams

mL

millilitre, millilitres

mls

millilitres

mls/hr

millilitres per hour

mm Hg

millimetres of mercury

mmol

millimole, millimoles

MO

medical officer (doctor)

MRI

magnetic resonance imaging

MS

multiple sclerosis

MSSU

midstream specimen of urine

MVA

motor vehicle accident

N/A

not applicable

NAD

no abnormalities detected

NCP

nursing care plan

nebs

nebuliser/nebules

Neuro

neurological

NFO

no further orders

NFR

not for resuscitation (do not resuscitate patient)

NG/NGT

nasogastric tube

nocte

at night

#NOF

fractured neck of femur

NOK

next of kin

N/Saline

normal saline

O2,O2

oxygen

O2,O2 sats

oxygen saturation

O/A

on admission

obs

observations / vital signs

OE

on examination

O,O

oral

op

operation

OPD

outpatients department

OT

occupational therapy

pulse

PA

per axilla

PAC

pressure area care

pc

after meals

PCA

patient controlled analgesia

PE

pulmonary embolism

PEFR

peak expiratory flow rate

per

by

PET

positron emission tomography

physio

physiotherapist

PID

pelvic inflammatory disease

pm

after midday / before midnight

PM

postmortem

PMHx

past medical history

PMT

premenstrual tension

POP

plaster of paris

post-op

post-operative

PR

per rectum

pre-op

pre-operative

PRN

pro re nata (derived from Latin) - as needed / when

required

pt

patient

PT

physiotherapy

PV

per vagina

PVD

peripheral vascular disease

PWB

partial weight bearing

QA

quality assurance

QID

quarter in die (derived from Latin) - four times per

day

right

R)

right

RBC

red blood cells

rehab

rehabilitation

RIB

rest in bed

R)LL

right lower lobe

RLQ

right lower quadrant

RMO

resident medical officer

ROM

range of movement

R/Resp rate/Resps

respirations

RTW

return to ward

RUQ

right upper quadrant

Rx

treatment/orders/prescription

SaO2

O2, oxygen saturation

Sats

oxygen saturation

SBP

systolic blood pressure

SC

subcutaneous

SCC

squamous cell carcinoma

SG

specific gravity

SL,sublin

sublingual, under the tongue

SOB

shortness of breath

SOOB

sit out of bed

S/s

signs and symptoms

stat

immediately (once only)

STD

sexually transmitted disease

sub-cut

subcutaneous

T&A

tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

tab

tablet

TB

tuberculosis

TDS

three times per day

tds/tid

three times a day

THR

total hip replacement

TIA

transient ischaemic attack

TKR

total knee replacement

TPR

temperature pulse respirations

transport

the hospitals transport section

TSH

thyroid-stimulating hormone

T,temp

temperature

TURP

trans urethral resection of the prostate

U/A

urinalysis

UDB

urinary drainage bag

U&E

urea and electrolytes

ULQ

upper left quadrant

ung

ointment

UR

unit record patient record (UR number)

URQ

upper right quadrant

URTI

upper respiratory tract infection

UTI

urinary tract infection

UV

ultra violet

VD

venereal disease

Vit K

vitamin K

WBC

white blood cells

W/d

withdrawal

yr

year

yrs

years