ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, AND SYMBOLS COMMONLY USED BY HEALTH

PRACTITIONERS

- at
- before
abd
- abdomen
ABG
- arterial blood gases
a.c., ac
- before meals
ad lib
- as desired
adm
- admission, admitted
ADL
- activities of daily living
ABO
- the main blood group system
A.M., AM, a.m . - morning
AMA
- against medical advice
amb
- ambulate, ambulatory
amt
- amount
ANST
- after negative skin test
AP, ap
- apical pulse
A-P
- anterior-posterior
approx
- approximately
ASAP
- as soon as possible
B&B
- bowel and bladder training
BaE, BE
- barium enema
BCG
- Bacille Calmette-Guerin
bid, b.i.d.
- twice a day
bld
- blood
bm, BM
- bowel movement
BP
- blood pressure
bpm
- beats per minute
BRP
- bathroom privileges
BS
- bowel sounds
BR
- bed rest
BSC
- bedside commode
BSD
- bedside drainage
Bx, bx
- biopsy
- with
C
- Centigrade, Celsius
C1, C2 (etc) - 1ST Cervical vertebra,
- 2nd cervical vertebra
CA
- cancer, carcinoma
Cal
- calorie
cap
- capsule
Cath
- catheter, catheterize
c.c.
- chief complaints
cc
- cubic centimeter
CHF
- congestive heart failure
CHO
- carbohydrate
Cl
- chloride
CBC
- complete blood count
CBR
- complete bed rest
CCU
- Coronary Care unit
CHON
- protein
CHD
- Congenital heart disease
Cl liq
- clear liquid
cm
- centimeters
CNS
- central nervous system
CO2
- carbon dioxide
c/o
- complaints of
COPD
- chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease
COLD
- Chronic obstructive lung disease
CPR
- cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CS
- cesarean section
C&S
- culture and sensitivity
CSF
- cerebrospinal fluid
CVA
- cerebrovascular accident, stroke
CVD
- cardiovascular disease

CXR
DAT

- chest x-ray
- Diet as tolerated
dc, disc, DC, D/C discontinue
dl
- deciliter (100 ml)
Disch
- discharge
DM
- diabetes mellitus
DNR
- do not resuscitate
DOA
- dead on arrival
DOB
- date of birth
DR
- delivery room
Drsg, dsg
- dressing
Dx, dx
- diagnosis
ECG, EKG - electrocardiogram
EEG
- electroencephalogram
EENT
- eyes, ears, nose, throat
EOMs
- extraocular movements
ER
- emergency room
F
- fahrenheit
Fb
- foreign body
FBS
- fasting blood sugar
FF
- force fluid
FHS
- fetal heart sound
FHR
- fetal heart rate
Fld
- fluid
FOB
- foot of bed
Ft
- foot, feet
FUO
- fever of undetermined origin
Fx
- fracture
gal
- gallon
GI
- gastrointestinal
GIT
- gastrointestinal tract
Gm, gm, g - gram
GP
- general practitioner
G1
- gravida one
GTTS, gtt, gtts - drops
GUT
- genitourinary tract
Gyne, GYN - gynecology
H2O
- water
h/o
- history of
hr, h
- hour
hgb, hct, H&H - hemoglobin and hematocrit
Hx
- history
Hgb or Hb
- hemoglobin
HCL
- hydrochloric acid
Hg
- mercury
H2O2
- hydrogen peroxide
hs
- hour of sleep, at bedtime
ht
- height
HOB
- head of bed
BP, HTN, HPN - hypertension
HPI
- history of present illness
ICU
- intensive care unit
I&D
- incision and drainage
IBW
- Ideal body weight
Ig
- immunoglobulin
IM
- intramuscular
in
- inch
I&O
- intake and output
IV
- intravenous
IVP
- IV push
IVPB
- IV piggyback
IVP
- intravenous pyelogram
IU
- international unit

Kg
Kcal
KUB
KVO
L

- kilogram
- kilocalorie
- kidney, ureter, and bladder
- keep vein open
- liter
, lt

Lab
lat.
lb
liq
LLQ
LMP
LUQ
M
MAR
MD
Meds, meds
mEq
MI
mg
ml
min
mm Hg
mod
NA
neg
NG
NKA
nil
noc
NPO, npo

- left
- laboratory
- lateral
- pound
- liquid
- left lower quadrant
- last menstrual period
- left upper quadrant
- male
- medication administration record
- medical doctor
- medications
- milliequivalent
- myocardial infarction
- milligram
- milliliter
- minute
- millimeters of mercury
- moderate
- nursing assistant
- negative
- nasogastric
- no known allergy
- nothing, none
- night
-nothing per orem
- nothing per mouth

NS, N/S
N/V
OB
od
OD
OOB
oint.
OPD

- normal saline
- nausea and vomiting
- obstetrics
- daily
- right eye

- out of bed
- ointment
- out patient department
- after
- operating room

OR
OS
- left eye
OU
- both eyes, each eye
OT
- occupational therapy
oz
- ounce
PACU
- postanesthesia care unit
pc, p.c.
- after meals
PDA
- patent ductus arteriosus
PE, PX
- physical examination
PEDS
- pediatrics
per
- by or through
pH
- potential of hydrogen
PID
- pelvic inflammatory disease
PM, P.M.,p.m. - afternoon
po
- by mouth
postop
- postoperatively
preop
- preoperatively
prep
- preparation
PRN, p.r.n.,prn - whenever necessary
pt
- patient, pint
q
- every
qAM
- every morning
QD, Q.D., qd, q.d. - daily
qh, qlh
- every hour

q2h
qhs
qid, q.i.d.
QOD, Q.O.D,
qod, q.o.d.
qt

rt,
RBC
Rm
RN
R/O

ROM
ROS
RR
RLQ
RUQ
Rx
s,S
SOB
STD
surg
spec
stat, STAT
syr
Sx
S /Sx, S/S
SC, SQ
tab
tbsp
TO
tsp
tid, t.i.d.
TLC
TPR
TPN
Tr, tinc
Tx
UA
u
vol
VO
VS, vs
WNL
WBC
wt
#

20

>
<

- every 2 hour
- every night at bedtime
- four times a day
- every other day
- quart
- right
- red blood cells
- room
- registered nurse
- rule out (either confirm or
eliminate)
- range of motion
- review of systems
- recovery room
- right lower quadrant
- right upper quadrant
- take, treatment, prescription
- without
- short of breath
- sexually transmitted disease
- surgery
- specimen
- at once now, immediately
- syrup
- symptoms
- signs & symptoms
- subcutaneous
- tablet
- tablespoon
- telephone order
- teaspoon
- three times a day
- tender loving care
- temperature, pulse, and respiration
- total parenteral nutrition
-tincture
- treatment
- urinalysis
- unit
- volume
- verbal order
- vital signs
- within normal limits
- white blood cells
- weight
- except
- number

, (+)

- positive

, (-)

- negative
- secondary to
- increase
- decrease
- greater than
- less than

- greater than or equal to

- less than or equal to

REFERENCES:
Berman, A. and Snyder, S. (2012). Kozier & ERBS
Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process, and
Practice. 9th ed. USA: Pearson Prentice Hall

Delaune, S. and Ladner, P. (2006). Fundamentals of

Nursing: Standards & Practice. 3rd ed. Canada: Thomson
Delmar Learning.
Kozier, B. et al. (2008). Fundamentals of Nursing:
Concepts, Process, and Practice. 8th ed. Singapore:
Pearson Prentice Hall.

Taylor, C., et al. (2008). Fundamentals of Nursing: The

Art and Science of Nursing Care. 6th ed. Hongkong:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Timby, B. K. (2009). Fundamental Nursing Skills and
Concepts. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins

Ramont, R. P., and Niedringhaus, D. M. (2008).

Fundamental Nursing Care. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Pearson
Education, Inc.

ABBREVIATIONS /ACRONYMS USED IN DIFFERENT AFFILIATINGINSTITUTIONS/AGENCIES

(not necessarily universally accepted)
AB - abdominal binder
AOM- Acute otitis media

ADCF - avoid dark colored foods

AGE acute gastroenteritis
AHCF avoid highly colored foods
ANP - acute nasopharyngitis
AUB abnormal uterine bleeding
BAIAE bronchial asthma in acute exacerbation
BRAT banana rice apple tea
BTL bilateral tubal ligation
BUN and Crea blood urea nitrogen and
creatinine
Cat - category
CAP- community acquired pneumonia

CBG capillary blood glucose

CBR c BRP - complete bed rest with bathroom
privileges

CBR s BRP complete bed rest without

bathroom privileges
CIL cephalic in labor
CKD- Chronic kidney disease

CL clear liquids
CSOM-chronic suppurative otitis media
CTT connected to BSB chest tube
thoracostomy connected to bedside bottle
CVD cerebro vascular disease
DFA - diet for age

DHF vs. TF dengue hemorrhagic fever versus

typhoid fever
DUB dysfunctional uterine bleeding
EDBLE - encourage deep breathing & leg exercise

EDCF except dark colored foods

EOR- error of refraction

ESRD end stage renal disease

F/a c OB fecalysis with occult blood
FC full credit, foley catheter
FD - full diet

GL/gen. liq. general liquids

GLEMCD general liquids except milk and
carbonated drinks
HD hemodialysis
HS hook same
HS hours of sleep
IFC - indwelling catheter
IPTL in preterm labor
KMC kangaroo mother care
KFC kangaroo father care
IHD- Ischemic heart disease
KUFC - keep uterus firm & contracted

LNMP - last normal menstrual period

LSLF diet low salt low fat diet
S F/ SF diet low salt low fat diet
LTCS low transverse cesarean section
MBFHI Mother Baby Friendly Hospital
Initiative
MF milk formula
MGH c Rx may go home with prescription
MHBR - moderate high back rest

ML main line
NPO P MN nothing per orem after midnight
NSD normal spontaneous delivery
NTG patch - nitroglycerine
NFI nitrate free interval
NVS - neuro vital signs
OACW - over anterior chest wall
OBROD obstetrics resident on duty
OF osteorized feeding
PEM preeclampsia moderate
PES preeclampsia severe
PNA with HRA pneumonia with hyperreactive
airway
PSAGN- post streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis

PU pregnancy uterine
PVP - profused vaginal bleeding

RMLE right medio-lateral episiotomy

SAP - strict aspiration precaution

SB specimen bottle, side bottle

SD - soft diet, side drip, surgical dressing

SFF- small frequent feeding

SP/CS status post cesarean section
SP/VSD status post vaginal spontaneous
Delivery
SVI- systemic viral infection

T/c then D/c to consume then discontinue

TSS - turn side to side

UTZ - ultrasound
v/v replacement volume per volume
replacement
VBAC vaginal birth after cesarean
VSD vaginal spontaneous delivery
WOF - watch out for