| 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 |
| |
C |
|
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 |
| |
g |
|
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 |
| |
L |
|
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 |
|
outpatient’s department |
OT |
|
occupational therapy |
| |
P |
|
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 |
| |
R |
|
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 hospital’s 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 |
Bed 8: Bernard Chambers