COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
NURSING 1118
APPROVED ABBREVIATIONS

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

@ AT aa of each
ac before meals ad lib as desired
am morning as tol as tolerated
bid twice a day c with
c/o complains of d/c discharge; discontinue
e.g. for example et and
etc and so on h/o history of
h.s. hours sleep p.c. after meals
p after p.o. by mouth
p.m. afternoon prn whenever necessary
q every q.i.d four times a day
s without STAT immediately
t.i.d. three times a day w/c wheel chair

RELATED TO ACTIVITY:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

ADL activities of daily living ASAP as soon as possible
OOB out of bed CBR complete bed rest
BRP bathroom privileges T, C DB turn, cough, deep breathe

RELATED TO HEALTH TEAM:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

CCU coronary care unit DON director of nursing
Dr. doctor DO doctor of osteopathy
LPN licensed practical nurse MD medical doctor
MICU medical intensive care OT occupational therapist
PT physical therapy RT respiratory therapist
RR recovery room RD registered dietician
RN registered nurse ER emergency room
OR operating room SICU surgical intensive care
RELATED TO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

ABG arterial blood gas BE barium enema
BM bowel movement BP blood pressure
BS blood sugar BUN blood urea nitrogen
Bx biopsy C&S culture & sensitivity
CBC complete blood count D&C dilation & curettage
diff differential Dx diagnosis
ECG,EKG electrocardiogram EEG electroencephalogram
FBS fasting blood sugar HGB hemoglobin
HCT hematocrit KUB kidneys, ureters, bladder
lymphs lymphocytes K potassium
Na sodium PFT pulmonary function test
RBC red blood cell count sp. gr. specific gravity
WBC white blood cell count WNL within normal limits

RELATED TO NURSING PROCEDURES/POSITIONS:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

A& P anterior/ posterior abd abdominal
ax axillary C centigrade
cath catheterize CC chief complaint
CNS central nervous system CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation
DAT diet as tolerated DOA dead on arrival
exam examination F Fahrenheit
Hx history HOB head of bed
Ht height HR heart rate
ID intradermal I&O intake & output
LLQ left lower quadrant LUQ left upper quadrant
LMP last menstrual period NKA No known allergies
NKDA no known drug allergies NPO nothing by mouth
PID pelvic inflammatory disease R respiration
RLQ right lower quadrant RUQ right upper quadrant
Rx treatment/prescription SOB short of breath
SS soapsuds TLC tender loving care
TPR temperature, pulse, VS vital signs
respiration
VO/ PO verbal/ telephone orders Wt weight
RELATED TO MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

amp ampule ASA aspirin
cm centimeter cap capsule
fl fluid G gram
gr grain gtt drop
h hour IV intravenous
kg kilogram L liter
lab laboratory lb pound
minum minum mcg microgram
ml milliliter mm millimeter
NS normal saline NOC night
qt quart mg milligram
tab tablet x times

RELATED TO DISEASE PROCESSES:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

ASHD arteriosclerotic heart disease A&O alert & oriented
CHF congestive heart failure CO2 carbon dioxide
EENT eyes, ears, nose throat Fx fracture
GB gallbladder GI gastrointestinal
GU genitourinary H&P history & physical
O2 oxygen OB obstetrics
PE pulmonary embolus PID pelvic inflammatory disease
T&A tonsillectomy & adnoid- URI upper respiratoary infection
ectomy
UTI urinary tract infection
 COLUMBIA STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
NURSING 1118

PREFIXES

DIRECTIONAL TERMS

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

ab- away from ad- toward
ambulo- walk about cephalo- head
de- down, remove dia- through
dorso- back endo- within
ecto- in addition; outside epi- upon, over
extra- in addition, outside hyper- above , high
infra- sub, below, under hypo beneath, decreased
intra- within inter- between
per- by, through circum- around
peri- around retro- backward
sub- inferior super- above, excess
supra- above, excess trans- across
anti- against contra- against
counter- against dis- removal, absence, undo

TERMS INDICATING COLOR:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

cyan- blue erythro- red
leuko- white melano- black
xanthero- yellow

TERMS INDICATING NUMBERS OR SIZE:

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING

a/an- without ante- before
bi- twice brady- slow
centi- 1/100 diplo- double
hemi- ½, one side macro- large
semi- half mega- large (megalo)
micro- small milli- 1/1000
 multi- many mono- single
poly- many, much nulli- none
quadri- 4 tachy- quick
uni- 1 tri- 3

TERMS RELATED TO SYSTEMS, ORGANS, PATHOLOGY

SKIN (INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM):

SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING
cyto- cell derm- skin
neo- new necro- dead
pyo- pus

GI (GASTROINTESTINAL)
SYMBOL MEANING SYMBOL MEANING
chole- gall, bile entero- intestine
gastro- stomach lipo- fat
litho- stone stoma- mouth
mal- bad

CARDIAC:
myo- muscle phlebo- vein
thrombo- clot necro- dead
vasa, vaso- vessel cardio pertaining to heart

GU (GENITOURINARY):
cysto- bladder dys- difficult
litho- stone nephro- kidney
oligo- scanty, deficient pyo- pus
noct- night

CNS (CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM):

neuro- nerve encephalo- brain
cerebro- brain psych- mind

IMMUNE/BLOOD:
febri- fever hema- blood (hem-, hemo-)
hetero- different homo- same

MUSCOSKELETAL:
myo- muscle osteo- bone
arthro- joint tendo- tendon

MISCELLANEOUS:
normo- normal post- after
pre- before pro- before; in front of
pseudo- false psych mind
primi- first re- do again

SUFFIXES
SUFFIXES DEFINITION EXAMPLES NEW WORDS NEW WORDS
-algia pain neuro; myo neuralgia myalgia
-cele hernia, tumor cavity cysto; recto; cystocele; rectocele
-centesis puncture para; thora; paracentesis thoracentesis
-cutaneous skin per; sub percutaneoous subcutaneous
-cyte cell mono; leuko monocyte leukocyte
-ectomy removal of, surgically chole; cysto cholecystectomy cystectomy
-emia blood condition an; leuk anemia leukemia
-gram a record of data cardio. electrocardio- electroencephalo-
encephalo gram gram
-gen formation; origin carcino; carcinogen bacteriogenisis
bacterio
-ian specialist in field pedia; pediatrician dietician
of study diet
-iatry field of study psych; psychiatry
-itis inflammation phleb; chole phlebitis cholcystitis
-lith stone chole; nephro cholilithiasis nephrolithiasis
-ology study of cardio; nephro- cardiology nephrology
-lysis dissolve, destroy hemo; bactero hemolysis bacteriolysis
-meter instrument used for gluco; glucometer syphgmo-
measurement syphgmo- manometer
-megaly enlargement cardio; spleno cardiomegaly splenomegaly
-oma tumor carcin; melan carcinoma melanoma
-opia eye condition presby; myo presbyopia myopia
-orrhea; -rrhea discharge, flow dysmenorr; dysmenorrhea
-ostomy artificial opening colos; ileo colostomy ileostomy
-pathy disease in cardio; nephro cardiomyopathy nephropathy
-penia decrease in leuko; leucopenia
-phagia eating condition dys; dysphagia
-phasia speaking condition a; aphasia
-phobia fear hydro; hydrophobia
-plasty plastic surgery rhino rhinoplasty
-pnea breathing a; apnea
-poiesis production hemo hemopoiesis
-ptosis drooping ptosis Bell’s Palsy
-rhage bursting forth hemorr hemorrhage
-sclerosis hardening athero; arterio atherosclerosis arteriosclerosis
-scope instrument for viewing colon; arthro colonoscope arthroscope
-scopy inspection visually colon; arthero colonoscopy arthroscopy
-stasis standing still veno; hemo venostasis hemostasis
-stenosis narrowing aortic stenosis urethral stenosis
-stomy surgical created opening colo; ileo colostomy ileostomy
-tomy incision into lapo; vago laparotomy vagotomy
-uria urine dys; poly dysuria polyuria