a.c.

—before meals

ACLS

advanced cardiac life support 

ADL

activities of daily living

am

morning

amb

ambulate, walk 

AMI

acute myocardial infarction 

AOx3

alert and oriented to person, time, and place 

AP

Apical Pulse

ASA

aspirin

asap (ASAP)

as soon as possible

as tol

as tolerated

Ax

Axillary

bid

twice daily

BLS

basic life support

bpm

beats per minute

BR

bed rest

BS

breath sounds

BUN

blood, urine, nitrogen levels

CAT

computerized axial tomography

CCU

coronary care unit/

critical care unit

CNS

central nervous

system

CT

computer tomography

CVA

cerebrovascular accident

(stroke)

dx

diagnosis

DOA

Dead on Arrival

DOB

date of birth

ED

Emergency Department

eyes, ear, nose, throat

ETOH

ethyl alcohol, intoxicated

FBS

fasting blood sugar

gtt(s)

drop(s)

H&P

history and physical

HR

heart rate

ht

height

ICU

Intensive Care Unit

IM

Intramuscular

inj

injection

IVP

intravenous pyelogram

KCI

POTASSIUM CHLORIDE 

KUB

KIDNEY, URETER, BLADDER

lab

Laboratory

LLQ, LLL

—left lower quadrant (abdomen), lobe (lung)

LOC

—level of consciousness

LUQ, LUL

—left upper quadrant (abdomen), lobe (lung)

mL

milliliters

MN

midnight

MOM

milk of magnesia

MRI

magnetic resonance imagery

MVA

—motor vehicle accident 

NVD

nausea, vomiting,

diarrhea

NaCl

Sodium Chloride

N/C

nasal cannula

NSR

normal sinus rhythm

OR

OPERATING ROOM

oz

ounce

pc

after meals

pCO2

partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PE

physical exam/

pulmonary embolism

per

by or through

PERL(A)

pupils equal and reactive 

to light 

(and accommodation)

pm

between noon and midnight

po

by mouth

pp(p.p)

postprandial

(after eating)

pO2

partial pressure of oxygen

PPD

purified protein derivative

(TB  Test)

pm 

as needed/

whenever necessary

PTT

PARTIAL PROTHROMBOPLASTIN

TIME

r(R)

rectal

R(resp)

respirations/rectal

RL

Ringer's lactate

RLQ/

RLL

RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT

(ABDOMEN)/

LOBE(LUNG)

R.R

RECOVERY ROOM

RUQ/

RLL

RIGHT UPPER QUADRANT/

LOBE

S&S

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Sat

oxygen/ blood 

saturation

level

SL

SUBLINGUAL

SSE

SOAP SUDS ENEMA

STI

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED

DISEASE

tab

tablet

TCDB

TURN, COUGH,DEEP BREATH

temp(T)

temperature

TIA

TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC

ATTACK

TO

TELEPHONE ORDER

TPN

TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION

TX

TRACTION

US

ULTRASOUND

UTI

URINARY TRACT INFECTION

w/c

wheelchair

WNL

WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS

wt

weight

y/o

year(s) old