Hi...Need help with Australian medical abbreviations

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Hi ...I was wonderinging if any one could help...I am studying medical terminology this year..I am entering a nursing course next year and I am trying to get a ready for it...Can anyone help me with the following abbreviations...........

CCU.............Is it critical care unit or cardiac care unit ??????

IP ..........I'm thinking In Patient but cannot confirm????????

OP.............Out patient????????? Just a guess

D/C.........Day care or am I way of base???????

ETOH.....

L..............Left maybe??????

R..............Right??????

_pt............point

VS............no idea

T.............?????????

P..........??????????

R............?????????

Ht................Height?????

Wt....weight?????

HS..........

BS..............

TM..........

q.I.d.........

p.r.n..............

and is t.I.d or tds 3 times daily??????????????

help confused...

I have found alot of the answers but these ones are a bit harder to find and when I do there seems to be 10 different answers....

any help would be most appreciated.........does anyone else have this problem....How are you suppose to remeber them all....I think I memerized 30 then my brain went numb:uhoh3: :idea:

Specializes in emergency.

Hi jojojo76,

JVP = jugular venous pressure

NAD = no acute distress or no apparent distress?

Good luck and don't stress, you will learn all of the acronyms quicker than you think!

1 Votes
Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

we see a lot of people in NAD in the ER (no apparent distress) :rolleyes:

1 Votes

NAD = no abnormalities detected.

ie. normal (in relation to pathology/radiology)

1 Votes

OK...will try to help! But I have to tell you, this confuses me sometimes too :-)

CCU.............think it is critical care unit.

IP ..........think inpatient is correct, but not sure

OP.............could be outpatient, but where I am in means "older person". Or could just mean "operation" depends on the context.

D/C.........discharge

ETOH.....forget what it stands for but it means the person is an alcoholic.

L..............Left maybe...I always read this as left

R..............and read this as right...

_pt............patient

VS............absolutely no idea!!

T.............temperature

P..........pulse

R............respiration

Ht................Height????? -- yes

Wt....weight??? -- yes

HS..........hmmm.... nope no idea. Hx means "history of"

BS.............. blood sugar

TM..........no idea

q.i.d.........4 times a day

p.r.n..............give medication as required.

1 Votes

Yes so many Abbreviations and some mean different thinks in different areas

A good rule of thumb is never to use them yourself.

However as a student hopefully when you go on placement you pick up those that are used in that clinical area.

Online they are mainly american and whilst similar to uk ones there are some differences, I think aus is more like the uk in medical speak however that may not be for all things.

1 Votes

Thanks heaps...you have all been very helpful

1 Votes
+ Add a Comment