Abbreviations galore! Please help :-)

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2011

Hi there,
I am sure to all you expert nurses out there, these abbreviations will be second nature to you but am really curious from the handover notes, what these mean? I am just starting out nursing so just learning these things! Thanks so much :)
I am guessing "NFR but still for MET calls" means not for rescuscitation but still for medical emergency team? Not sure exactly what that would mean!
"O2 to keep Sp02" up.. what is Sp02?- Oxygen Saturation (of blood)
"DW"
"QID BSLs" -
"GTN"
"CHF"- congestive heart failure/ chronic heart failure
"T2DM"
"PMHx: MMP"
"ETOH use" - alcohol
"NBM until SLT review" NBM- nothing by mouth? maybe
"HCV"
"IVAB" or "IVAbx" = guessing this is IV antibiotics?-correct
"Gastro rw"
"DC once afrebrile 23 hours" DC- discontinue
"SOB" -Shortness of Breath
"NSTEMI and fast AF" Non ST elevation Myocardial Infarction AF i assume is Afib/flutter
"intermittent BiPaP 10:5"
"1LFR"
"HTN"- hypertension
"ax pt"
"mild AS, AR, MR"
"PAC's"
"CVA"- cereberal vascular accident
"if GSC drops..." gsc or GCS? GCS is glascow coma scale
And is the little x used for Hx (history?) and Dx (diagnosis) just there for what reason?- ive seen bx (biopsy) tx (treatment)
Thank you in advance!

where did u find all these lol

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2011

this whole list is a great illustration of why hospitals have lists of approved abbreviations. the fact that some very experienced rns here can't come up c all of them on the spot speaks to that. i see this sometimes with graduates of foreign medical schools, even if their first language is english (see "gtn")

"o2 to keep sp02" up.. what is sp02?- oxygen saturation (of blood)

"dw" dextrose in water?

"qid bsls" - maybe "blood sugar levels"

"gtn" glycerile trinitrate, another term for nitroglycerine

"chf"- congestive heart failure/ chronic heart failure

"t2dm" type 2 diabetes mellitus

"pmhx: mmp" past medical history: measles/mumps/pertussis ? (as in, this person had that vaccine)

"etoh use" - alcohol

"nbm until slt review" nbm- nothing by mouth? maybe

"hcv" hepatitis c virus (infection)

"ivab" or "ivabx" = guessing this is iv antibiotics?-correct

"gastro rw"

"dc once afrebrile 23 hours" dc- discontinue

"sob" -shortness of breath

"nstemi and fast af" non st elevation myocardial infarction af i assume is afib/flutter

"intermittent bipap 10:5" bipap is a noninvasive breathing assist device

"1lfr" this could be a reference to a gene involved in a disease process

"htn"- hypertension

"ax pt"

"mild as, ar, mr" mild aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation

"pac's" premature atrial contractions

"cva"- cerebral vascular accident

"if gsc drops..." gsc or gcs? gcs is glascow coma scale

and is the little x used for hx (history?) and dx (diagnosis) just there for what reason?- ive seen bx (biopsy) tx (treatment) and abx (antibiotics)

Chesh · Jan 10, 2012

i got this list of abbreviations when i started nursing school. i hope it helps

abbreviations

[table=class: msonormaltable]

[tr]

[td][h=1]symbol[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]meaning[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]symbol[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]meaning[/h]

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]+

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]positive

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]dc,d/c

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]discontinue

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]-

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]negative

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]dvt

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]deep vein thrombosis

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]/

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]per

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]dx

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]diagnosis

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]less than

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]=

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]equal

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ecg, ekg

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]electrocardiogram

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]>

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]greater than

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]¹

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]not equal

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ent

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]ear, nose & throat

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]~

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]approximate

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]etoh

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]ethyl alcohol

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]#

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]pounds; number

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ºf

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]fahrenheit

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]±

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]plus or minus

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]fx

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]fracture

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]d

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]change

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]g

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]gram

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]1°

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]primary; 1^st degree

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]gi

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]gastrointestinal

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]2°

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]secondary; 2^nd degree

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]gtt

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]drop

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]`a

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]before

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]hr. or h

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]hour

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]a & o

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]alert and oriented

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]hx

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]history

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]ac

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]before meals

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]hs

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]hour of sleep (bedtime)

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]ad lib

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]as desired

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]icu

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]intensive care unit

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]ama

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]against medical advice

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]im

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]intramuscular

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]asa

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]aspirin

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]iv

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]intravenous

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]ashd

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]atherosclerotic heart disease

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ivp

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]iv push

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]bid

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]twice a day

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ivpb

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]iv piggyback

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]bm

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]bowel movement

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]kg

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]kilogram

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]b/p,bp

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]blood pressure

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]kvo

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]keep vein open

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]bsa

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]body surface area

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]mcg

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]microgram

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]c

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]centigrade

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]meq

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]milliequivalent

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]`c

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]with

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]mg, mgm

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]milligram

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]c/o

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]complains of

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]mi

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]myocardial infarction

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]cad

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]coronary artery disease

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ml

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]milliliter

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]cap

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]capsule

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]mm

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]millimeter

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]ccu

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]coronary care unit

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]nacl

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]sodium chloride

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]chf

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]congestive heart failure

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]nka

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]no known allergies

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]cns

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]central nervous system

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]npo

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]nothing by mouth

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]copd

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]ns

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]normal saline

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]cpr

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]cardiopulmonary resuscitation

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]o2

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]oxygen

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]cva

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]cerebrovascular accident

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]obs

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]organic brain syndrome

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]pc

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]after meals

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]s/s

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]signs/symptoms

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]prn

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]as needed

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]t

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]temperature

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]q3h

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]every three hours

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]tab

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]tablet

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]symbol[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]meaning[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]symbol[/h]

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][h=1]meaning[/h]

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]r/o

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]rule out

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]tia

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]transient ischemic attack

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]rom

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]range of motion

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]tid

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]3 times a day

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]rx

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]treatment

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]tx

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]treatment

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent]sob

[/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent]shortness of breath

[/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]uri

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]upper respiratory infection

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]uti

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]urinary tract infection

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]vs,v/s

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]vital signs

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]wnl

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]within normal limits

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]sl

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]sublingual

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent]_

s

[/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent]without

[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

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[td=width: 73, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 222, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 96, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[td=width: 199, bgcolor: transparent][/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

military time

2400 or 0000= 12:00am 1200=12:00pm (noon)

0100= 1:00am 1300= 1:00pm

0200= 2:00am 1400= 2:00pm

0300= 3:00am 1500= 3:00pm

0400= 4:00am 1600= 4:00pm

0500= 5:00am 1700= 5:00pm

0600= 6:00am 1800= 6:00pm

0700= 7:00am 1900= 7:00pm

0800= 8:00am 2000= 8:00pm

0900= 9:00am 2100= 9:00pm

1000=10:00am 2200=10:00pm

1100=11:00am 2300=11:00pm