Nurse Slang Yo!

Nurses General Nursing

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So this morning, after my alarm clock rudely woke me up (so ruuuuude :sniff:) , I engaged in my terrible terrible habit of getting on facebook immediately after shutting my alarm off on my phone. I am friends with a few nursing students and they are always posting funny little nursey articles. Well this morning, one of my nursing student friends left a link to a pretty funny article that discussed the different slang used by nurses at work.They had it set up in a dictionary format, where they would use the words in a sentence as an example. As a dorky, overly excited pre-nursing student, I found them hilarious!

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My fave was "PITA" which stood for Pain in the orifice.

Such as There is a PITA in room 9, just to let you know.

So I wanted everyone to share some of their "Nurse Slang" they may use daily or have heard before.

Thanks!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

BWCO = Baby Won't Come Out (L&D and antepartum)

SAF = Shaker and Faker

Dee Dee = Dilaudid

ABH cocktail = Ativan + Benadryl + Haldol

NP cocktail = Norco + Phenergan

Quels = Seroquel

VIP = 'very important patient'; either the patient is a big wig, or related to one.

BSC = Bedside Commode

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BWCO = Baby Won't Come Out (L&D and antepartum)

SAF = Shaker and Faker

Dee Dee = Dilaudid

ABH cocktail = Ativan + Benadryl + Haldol

NP cocktail = Norco + Phenergan

Quels = Seroquel

VIP = 'very important patient'; either the patient is a big wig, or related to one.

BSC = Bedside Commode

We call our VIPs BFDs out of earshot. :) Big effin deals.

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PITA is not a "nursey" term---I've seen it in use for YEARS before becoming a nurse. You sound very young, OP =)

Oh, it was the first time I have heard it. I just turned 24 this week. lol

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

My mother was in nursing school int the 1930's and when the students were learning the customarily used Latin abbreviations, they thought it was hysterical to rattle off supposed 'dr's orders'......as in "High SOS pc & hs x2d", and the like.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
Milk of amnesia, milk of heaven - propofol

I almost sprayed my monitor when I read this one. Perfect!

Clocker, being on clock: patient requesting PRN pain meds precisely at set times

Several years ago when I worked in a rehab hospital, one day I had two males in their mid-twenties in the same room who had undergone some minor orthopedic surgery. I wasn't sure whether they were best buds before or whether they just bonded after they arrived. Both had an order for Lortab 7.5 q4h PRN pain. The one nearest the door had an alarm clock next to his bed that he set to four hour intervals to wake them to get their pain meds. I hope that I never experience quite that degree of agony.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
ABH cocktail = Ativan + Benadryl + Haldol

I have also heard of this referred to as a B-52: Benadryl 50mg + Haldol 5mg + Ativan 2mg. Of course, we're in an Air Force town, hence the bomber reference.

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

My all time favorite Urgent Care complaint-Party Pelvis...as in "I went to a party the other night, had too much to drink, smoke, etc., went home with someone, didn't use a condom, and now I'm itchy "down there".

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
I have also heard of this referred to as a B-52: Benadryl 50mg + Haldol 5mg + Ativan 2mg. Of course, we're in an Air Force town, hence the bomber reference.

We use the B-52 here as well in most ER's.

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Specializes in Hospice.
FLK isn't unique to OB, we use that term in Pediatrics too. Babies who are FLKs tend to remain so as toddlers, school aged and teenagers. Usually by school age/teenage years we at least know why they're an FLK.

Worked Peds in the 80s. One little boy was labeled an FLK by one of the nurses. He was a sickly kid (eventually diagnosed with an immune deficiency and finally treated, stopped being sickly) with a little body and a big pumpkin head. He actually looked just like his dad.

He grew out of the syndrome, though. I saw him about 14-15 years later and he had grown into his head-he was 6'2" and weighed about 220 (played high school football-varsity).

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Critters: lice, etc.

Vitamin L : Lasix

Pits and pubes: Minimal bed bath

Crispy critter: Bad burns

Celestial discharge: deceased

4Ls: four-point locked leather restraints

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TMB=too many birthdays

HHH enema=high, hot and hellofalot

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Specializes in Dialysis.

Propofol-Michael Jackson Milk!

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