Is it AAOx3 or A&Ox3

ashleypoo22 · Feb 23, 2009

Either way whoever reads that will know what it means. Go by what your teacher says though. I usually write A/Ox3, and I've seen nurses at the hospital during my clinicals write it this way.

panzyo3 · Feb 28, 2009

Well AAOx3 equals awake, alert, and oriented to person, place, time. So it should be written AAOx3 or AA&Ox3.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 28, 2009

I use AOx3 and no one has ever had any problems figuring what it meant.

jmgrn65, RN · Feb 28, 2009

well if your alert doesn't that make you awake? so why be redundant. Maybe it is regional but I have never see AAOx3 we usually write A&O x3.

RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2009

never heard of AA&Ox3 either--- I'm in upstate NY, maybe it is regional.....it seems kinda weird really---you are assessing the level of orientation--weather the pt is awake or not is irrelavant and really doesn't it asume the pt. is awake as it is impossible to ask the pt anything to do the assessment if the pt. is sleeping!!

DO_2014 · Jan 15, 2012

AAo x 3 means, "Awake, Alert, Oriented to Person, Place and Time"... Yes you can't be alert without being awake but you can be awake and not alert. Therefore your teacher is correct, you should write AAOx3. Don't take the short cuts! Your patient depends on you!

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Jan 15, 2012

I don't think its a short cut. If someone is awake and not alert then you would know because you obviously wouldn't be oriented to person, place, or time so its redundent. I've never heard that being used in any courses and never heard it used in clinical. I guess if I ever do hear it I will at least now know what they're talking about.

Do-over, ASN, RN · Jan 15, 2012

I use A&Ox3, sometimes see folks use A&Ox4 with the "4th" being "situation".

I think AAO is redundant - for me at least, if someone if sleeping I chart that they are sleeping.

abiklags · Jan 15, 2012

i say and write A&Ox3. alert & oriented times 3.

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Jan 16, 2012

If I am abbreviating it, which I sometimes do, I write A&O x3 or A/O x 3. I have never seen it written AAO x 3. I think that both ways are acceptable, and I think that medical professionals would know what you meant no matter which of the two methods you used. For the purpose of clinical, you should go by what your instructor says just to keep yourself out of trouble. However, when you are making personal notes for yourself, or charting in the real world, use whichever one you like the best.

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2012

I usually write AAOx4 (awake ,alert oriented to person, place, time, situation)

ya...sorry for throwing a wrench in all this lol.

however ive seen it written CAOx3 (concious alert and oriented)