Healthcare and Medical Abbreviations

Health Care Facility Abbreviations

• CCU stands for coronary care unit.
• ECU means emergency care unit.
• ER is the abbreviation for emergency room.
• ED represents emergency department.
• ICU stands for intensive care unit.
• PICU is the pediatric intensive care unit.
• NICU represents neonatal intensive care unit.
• SICU stands for surgical intensive care unit.
• PACU means post-anesthesia care unit.
• L&D is the abbreviation for labor and delivery.
• OR represents operating room.
• Post-op refers to after surgery.
• Pre-op means before surgery.

Abbreviations on Health Records

• VS means vital signs.
• BP stands for blood pressure.
• RR means respiratory rate.
• T stands for temperature.
• HR means heart rate.
• Ht represents height.
• Wt represents weight.
• BMI stands for Body Mass Index.
• I/O refers to intake/output, the amount of fluids a patient has taken in by IV or mouth, plus what's produced, usually urine output.
• Dx means diagnoses.
• DDx means differential diagnoses.
• Tx represents treatment.
• Bx means prescription.
• H&P stands for history and physical.
• Hx means history.
• CC means chief complaint.
• HPI means history of present illnesses.
• ROS means review of symptoms.
• PMHx means past medical history.
• FHx means family history.
• NKDA means no known drug allergies.
• PE stands for physical exam.
• Pt represents patient.
• y/o means years old.
• h/o means history of.
• PCP stands for primary care provider.
• f/u means follow up.

Abbreviations for Symptoms or Findings

• SOB stands for shortness of breath.
• HEENT refers to head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat.
• PERRLA means pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation.
• NAD means no acute distress, the patient doesn't display intense symptoms.
• CV stands for cardiovascular.
• RRR means regular rate and rhythm, a normal heart exam.
• CTA means clear to auscultation, description of normal sounding lungs.
• WDWN means well developed, well nourished.
• A&O means alert and oriented.
• WNL means within normal limits.
• NOS means not otherwise specified.
• NEC means not elsewhere classified, and doesn't quite fit specific causes.
• PO means per os, by mouth.
• NPO means nil per os, nothing by mouth.
• PR means per rectum, anal.
• IM means intramuscular.
• SC means subcutaneous, under the skin.
• IV means intravenous.
• CVL means central venous line.
• PICC means peripherally inserted central catheter.
• Sig: Instructs, short for signa, from Latin "label."

Abbreviations for Orders and Frequency

• BID means twice daily, from Latin "Bis in die," which is two a day.
• TID means three times daily, from Latin "ter indie," which is three a day.
• Q: every X; Q4hr means every 4 hours, and Q3 days is every 3 days.
• QD means daily, from the Latin phrase quaque die, which means "each day."
• QID means four times daily, from the Latin phrase quarter indie, which means 4 in a day.
• QHS means at night, from the Latin phrase quaque hora somni, which means "each night at the hour of sleep."
• AC means before meals, from the Latin phrase ante cibum, which means "before food."
• PC means after meals, from the Latin phrase "post cibum," which means "after food."
• PRN means as needed, from the Latin phrase per re nata, which means "as the need arises."
• Ad lib means as desired.

Integumentary Abbreviations

• ABCDE stands for asymmetry, border, color, diameter, evolving and it's how to assess melanoma
• AK stands for actinic keratosis.
• Bx means biopsy.
• C&S means culture and sensitivity.
• derm means dermatology.
• ID stands for intradermal.
• SC means subcutaneous.
• SQ means subcutaneous.

Learn common medical abbreviations used in healthcare facilities and on health records. This guide defines terms used in various hospital units and documentation, such as CCU, ER, VS, and BP. Understand medical shorthand for efficient communication.