Here are the ones I use most frequently. Keep in mind that not all of these are “approved abbreviations”; they are the ones I use on my report sheet. I don’t use all of these in my official documentation (nurses notes, orders, care plans), but I do use some of them. These are mainly so I can quickly get report or write down orders on the phone. The quicker you can write, the better!
1. BID = twice a day
2. TID = three times a day
3. Q2hrs = every 2 hours (you can put any number in there.. q4hrs, q8hrs, etc. or any time increment q15min, q30min, etc.)
4. PO = orally
5. PRN = as needed
6. IV = intravenous
7. IM = intramuscular
8. PR = rectally
9. gtt = drip (if someone is on an insulin drip at 4 units/hour I write insulin gtt 4/hr on my report sheet)
10. HTN = hypertension
11. A&Ox3 = alert and oriented to name, location, time
12. NS = normal saline (when someone tells me the patient has normal saline going at 75 ml/hr, I write NS @ 75/hr)
13. 0.9% = also normal saline (0.9% normal saline)
14. ml’s = milliliters
15. SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage
16. SDH = subdural hematoma
17. IVH = intraventricular hemorrhage
18. ICH = intracerebral hemorrhage
19. AVR = aortic valve replacement
20. MVR = mitral valve replacement
21. CABG = coronary artery bypass graft
22. Fem-pop = femoral popliteal bypass (there are multiple combos of this one)
23. PMH = past medical history
24. Hx = history
25. Tx = treatment
26. Dx = diagnosis
27. FOS = full of sh*t (constipated)
28. DM = type II diabetes
29. AC/HS = before meals and at bedtime (when someone needs their blood sugar checked before meals and at bedtime)
30. IVF = intravenous fluids
31. K or KCl= potassium (so if someone has 40 mEq potassium chloride in their 0.9% normal saline infusing at 100 ml/hr, I write NS 40 KCl @ 100/hr on my report sheet)
32. Na = sodium
33. NSR = normal sinus rhythm
34. BBB = bundle branch block
35. Brady = bradycardia
36. Tachy = tachycardia
37. SBP = systolic blood pressure
38. DBP = diastolic blood pressure
39. PICC = peripherally inserted central catheter
40. CVC = central venous catheter
41. AC = antecubital space on their arm
42. #22, #20, #18 = gauge of needle for an IV (so if they have a size 18 needle in their right antecubital space on their arm, I write #18 ® AC on my report sheet)
43. FA = forearm (#18 ® FA)
44. NC = nasal cannula
45. RA = room air
46. Trach = tracheostomy
47. NRB = non re-breather
48. NPO = nothing by mouth (the doctor doesn’t want the patient to eat or drink anything until otherwise ordered)
49. ADA diet = diabetic diet
50. DHT = dobhoff tube (small feeding tube that does down their nose)
51. NG tube = nasogastric tube (large tube that goes down the nose that can be used for feedings or suctioning out stuff)
52. TF = tube feeding
53. BSC = bedside commode
54. Coags = PT/PTT/INR labs that check a patient’s coagulation
55. H/H = hemoglobin and hematocrit labs
56. SCD’s = sequential compression devices
57. HOH = hard of hearing
58. UA = urinalysis
59. IVPB = IV piggy back
60. IV push = when you push something directly into someone’s IV from a syringe
61. Flashback or flash = when you’re starting an IV or getting blood samples and you see blood coming back into the chamber, which let’s you know you’re in the vein
62. Primary line = your primary IV line (typically a gtt or IVF, which is going from the IV pump, directly into the patient’s IV
63. Secondary line = the secondary IV line, which is attached to the primary line above the pump (typically antibiotics are given through a secondary line)
64. KVO = keep vein open, meaning that the IV fluid is going at a slow rate just to keep a constant flow of fluids in
65. Med line = a bag of normal saline that’s at a KVO rate (usually 20 ml/hr or 30 ml/hr) as a primary line that you can use to administer antibiotics via your secondary line
66. PCA = patient controlled analgesic pump AKA pain pump (pump with a pain med in it that the patient can put a button to get a dose)
67. WDL = within defined limits (I use this to say something is normal, so if there are neurologically intact, I’ll write neuro WDL in the neuro section of my report sheet)
68. ETOH = alcohol
69. pt = patient
70. PT = physical therapy
71. OT = occupational therapy
72. ST = speech therapy
73. Vented/vents = patient is on a ventilator (the machine that breathes for them)
74. On contact precautions/isolation = you have to wear a gown and gloves every time you touch the patient
75. MRSA = methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (they’re on contact precautions)
76. VRE = vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (also on contact precautions)
77. C.diff = Clostridim difficile (contact enteric precautions, meaning you have to wash with soap and water before and after touching the patient, not just the hand sanitizer)
78. NKDA = no known drug allergies
79. BKA = below knee amputation
80. AKA = above knee amputation