Share your SHORT-CUT writing skills

Nursing Students General Students

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We all got a lots of notes to write, what kind of short cuts do you use. For me, I use the folowing:

w/o=without

c=with

bcuz=because

& = and

^= increase

etc........................

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b/c is quicker than bcuz

arrow for "leads to" or "causes"

three dots for "therefore"

triangle for "change," "ex" triangle for "exchange" (that's from calculus)

"x" to shorten many common words (dx, tx, fx, hx)

initials for all systems of body, hormones, neurotransmitters

neuroT(ransmitter), hypoT(halamus)

trigly, AA (amino acid)

always use chemical symbols for ions, molecules - HCO3 is much quicker than bicarbonate

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Specializes in LDRP.

Hx-history

Dx-diagnosis

MNGMNT-management

ND-nursing dx

I use the medical abbreviations for before and after

Rx-meds, prescriptions

Triangle for change

Sometimes I lok at my friends notes and am like "huh?" Everyone has such different short hand! ;)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Been using these for years. They are of my own personal cultivation; the first when I worked on a nephrology unit and the second when I was in school taking a physiology class.

  • D (with a horizontal line through the middle) = Dialysis
  • E, which I write like a backward "3" (with a vertical line down the middle) = enzymes

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Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

VSS (vital signs stable), Mom @BS (Mom at bedside) and TMax (highest temperature) seems to be favorites at my hospital.

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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

Dx, Hx, Sx,

w/o

c/o

VSS

b/c

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I often leave the vowels out of words so my nts lk lik ths. Saves time but is impossible for anyone else to read, it seems!

I also use cx (cause) dx (diagnosis) crx (characteristics) hx (history) etc.

Lots of arrows, lots of strange abbreviations. I use v for very, h for high, l for low, @ for at, c = with, s = without. bc for because.

I've found most people can't read my original notes, I use so many weird abbreviations. But it saves trees and time, so I'm okay with that.

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These are very helpful!

Thanks

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arrow up - increase

arrow down - decrease

rxn - reaction

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

fctn= function

letter B with a vertical line on each side = between

arrow pointing upward = above or superior

WTH= study more on this section

Q = sounds like an exam question

NTN= need to know

ntn = nice to know

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While all abbreviations are created to save time, remember, they have to be legible and universal so "medical errors" DO NOT occur due to misinterpretation, or guessing when following someones notes. Check the JCAHO website for a list of approved abbreviations.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

For notes at school:

b/t- between

b/c-because

b/f-before

w/-with

w/o-without

w/draw-withdraw

@-at

3 with a dot on top and bottom-and

up and down arrows-increase or decrease

/-or

*-important

charac.-characterized

norm.-normal

abnorm.-abnormal

and a bunch of others that I can't think of. I also write cursint (cursive and print). The only good thing about it there are a couple of people in my class that use to always ask for my notes because they either didn't take them or were to busy talking, couldn't figure out what I was wirting so they stopped asking and FINALLY started taking their own notes.

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