Medical Abbreviations - Essential Clinical Shorthand

62 flashcards · Beginner · Medical & Health

The medical abbreviations you actually see on charts, orders, and prescriptions, expanded in plain English. Covers prescription frequency and routes, chart and history shorthand, vital signs, labs and imaging, departments, and provider titles.

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BID

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Prescription & Frequency

Twice a day. From the Latin bis in die. Describes how often a medication or task is scheduled.

BID

Pronunciation

say 'B-I-D' or 'bid'

What you'll learn

The 60 most common abbreviations found on medical charts, orders, and prescriptions
What prescription shorthand like BID, TDS, OD, and PRN actually means
Chart abbreviations for history, diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment
Provider title abbreviations including MD, DO, RN, NP, and PA

What's inside: all 62 cards

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Prescription & Frequency · 11

BID/ say 'B-I-D' or 'bid' /: Twice a day. From the Latin bis in die. Describes how often a medication or task is scheduled.
TID/ say 'T-I-D' /: Three times a day. From the Latin ter in die.
QID/ say 'Q-I-D' /: Four times a day. From the Latin quater in die.
OD/ say 'O-D' /: Once daily in prescribing (from omni die). Note: OD can also mean the right eye (oculus dexter) in eye care, so context matters.
BD/ say 'B-D' /: Twice a day. From the Latin bis die. Common in UK and Commonwealth prescribing (equivalent to BID).
TDS/ say 'T-D-S' /: Three times a day. From the Latin ter die sumendum. Common in UK prescribing (equivalent to TID).
PRN/ say 'P-R-N' or 'as needed' /: As needed. From the Latin pro re nata. The dose is given only when required, such as for pain or nausea.
STAT/ 'stat' /: Immediately, without delay. From the Latin statim.
AC/ say 'A-C' /: Before meals. From the Latin ante cibum.
PC/ say 'P-C' /: After meals. From the Latin post cibum.
HS/ say 'H-S' /: At bedtime. From the Latin hora somni.

Route & Administration · 6

PO/ say 'P-O' /: By mouth. From the Latin per os. Describes a medication that is swallowed.
IV/ say 'I-V' /: Intravenous, meaning into a vein.
IM/ say 'I-M' /: Intramuscular, meaning into a muscle.
SubQ/ 'sub-Q' /: Subcutaneous, meaning into the fatty tissue just under the skin. Also written SC or SQ.
PR/ say 'P-R' /: By rectum. From the Latin per rectum.
gtt/ 'gutt' or 'drops' /: Drops. From the Latin guttae. Used for liquid medications such as eye or ear drops.

Orders & Status · 7

NPO/ say 'N-P-O' /: Nothing by mouth. From the Latin nil per os. The patient should not eat or drink.
NKDA/ say 'N-K-D-A' /: No known drug allergies.
DNR/ say 'D-N-R' /: Do not resuscitate. An order not to perform CPR if the heart or breathing stops.
VS/ say 'V-S' /: Vital signs, such as temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
I&O/ 'I and O' /: Intake and output, a record of fluids taken in and passed out of the body.
ADL/ say 'A-D-L' /: Activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
Rx/ 'R-X' or 'prescription' /: Prescription or treatment. From the Latin recipe, meaning take.

History & Exam · 12

Hx/ 'H-X' or 'history' /: History, as in a patient's medical history.
Dx/ 'D-X' or 'diagnosis' /: Diagnosis, the identified condition or disease.
Tx/ 'T-X' or 'treatment' /: Treatment or therapy.
Sx/ 'S-X' or 'symptoms' /: Symptoms. In some notes Sx can also mean surgery, so context matters.
Fx/ 'F-X' or 'fracture' /: Fracture, a break in a bone.
Bx/ 'B-X' or 'biopsy' /: Biopsy, a sample of tissue taken for examination.
c/o/ 'complains of' /: Complains of, used to record the symptom a patient reports.
SOB/ say 'S-O-B' /: Shortness of breath.
N/V/ 'N and V' /: Nausea and vomiting.
h/o/ 'history of' /: History of, used to note a past condition.
WNL/ say 'W-N-L' /: Within normal limits, meaning a finding is normal.
y/o/ 'years old' /: Years old, describing the patient's age.

Vital Signs · 6

BP/ say 'B-P' /: Blood pressure, the force of blood against the artery walls.
HR/ say 'H-R' /: Heart rate, the number of heartbeats per minute.
RR/ say 'R-R' /: Respiratory rate, the number of breaths per minute.
T/ 'T' or 'temp' /: Temperature, one of the vital signs.
SpO2/ 'S-P-O-two' /: Oxygen saturation, the percentage of oxygen carried in the blood, measured by a pulse oximeter.
BMI/ say 'B-M-I' /: Body mass index, a weight-to-height ratio used to categorize body weight.

Labs & Diagnostics · 8

CBC/ say 'C-B-C' /: Complete blood count, a common blood test measuring red cells, white cells, and platelets.
BMP/ say 'B-M-P' /: Basic metabolic panel, a blood test measuring glucose, electrolytes, and kidney markers.
ECG/ say 'E-C-G' or 'E-K-G' /: Electrocardiogram, a recording of the heart's electrical activity. Also written EKG.
CT/ say 'C-T' /: Computed tomography, an imaging scan that builds cross-sectional pictures using x-rays.
MRI/ say 'M-R-I' /: Magnetic resonance imaging, a scan that uses magnets and radio waves to image soft tissue.
UA/ say 'U-A' /: Urinalysis, a test that examines the content of urine.
WBC/ say 'W-B-C' /: White blood cell (count), the cells of the immune system.
Hgb/ 'H-G-B' or 'hemoglobin' /: Hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Also written Hb.

Departments & Settings · 6

ICU/ say 'I-C-U' /: Intensive care unit, where the most critically ill patients are treated.
ER/ say 'E-R' /: Emergency room, where urgent and emergency care is given. Also called the ED, emergency department.
OR/ say 'O-R' /: Operating room, where surgery is performed.
OB/GYN/ 'O-B-G-Y-N' /: Obstetrics and gynecology, the specialty for pregnancy and female reproductive health.
ENT/ say 'E-N-T' /: Ear, nose, and throat, also called otolaryngology.
Peds/ 'peds' /: Pediatrics, the care of infants, children, and adolescents.

Provider Titles · 6

MD/ say 'M-D' /: Doctor of Medicine, a fully licensed physician.
DO/ say 'D-O' /: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, a fully licensed physician with the same practice rights as an MD.
RN/ say 'R-N' /: Registered Nurse.
NP/ say 'N-P' /: Nurse Practitioner, an advanced-practice nurse who can diagnose and, in many settings, prescribe.
PA/ say 'P-A' /: Physician Assistant, a licensed provider who practices medicine as part of a care team.
PharmD/ 'farm-D' /: Doctor of Pharmacy, the professional degree held by pharmacists.

Medical Abbreviations - Essential Clinical Shorthand

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