Medical Abbreviations Quiz

Medical Abbreviations

• ADL: activities of daily living
• A&Ox4: alert and oriented times 4 (person, place, time, situation)
• AMA: against medical advice
• BM: bowel movement
• BRP: bathroom privileges
• BP: blood pressure
• BS: blood sugar
• BSC: bedside commode
• BUN: blood urea nitrogen
• CBC: complete blood count
• c/o: complaint of
• DNR: do not resuscitate
• DOB: date of birth
• Dx: diagnosis
• DZ: disease
• FOB: foot of bed
• HCP: healthcare provider
• HAI: hospital acquired infection
• HOB: head of bed
• H&P: history and physical
• HPI: history of present illness
• HR: heart rate
• I&O: intake and output
• LFT: liver function test
• LOC: level of consciousness
• LOP: level of pain
• MAR: medication administration record
• N/A: not applicable
• NKA: no known allergies
• NKDA: no known drug allergies
• NPO: nothing by mouth
• P: pulse
• PO: by mouth
• PRN: as necessary, as needed
• R: respiration
• RBC: red blood cell
• ROM: range of motion
• Rx: prescription
• STAT: immediately, at once
• T: temperature
• tx: treatment
• UA: urinalysis
• UAP: unlicensed assistive personnel
• VS: vital signs
• WBC: white blood cell

Medical Combining Forms

• Prefixes:
  • a- or an-: without
  • ab-: away from
  • ad-: to, toward
  • ante-: before (in front of)
  • anti-: against
  • auto-: self
  • bi-: twice, double
  • brady-: slow
  • circum-: around
  • contra-: opposed, against
  • co-: with
  • cyan-: blue
  • cyst-: bag, bladder, sac
  • dys-: difficult, painful
  • ex-: without, away from
  • extra-: outside of
  • hemato-: blood
  • hemi-: half
  • hydro-: water
  • hyper-: higher, more
  • hypo-: lower, less
  • intra-: within
  • inter-: between
  • leuko-: white
  • micro-: small
  • mega- or megal-: large, great
  • multi-: many
  • myo-: muscle
  • neo-: new
  • nephro-: kidney
  • para-: beside
  • peri-: around
  • pneumo-: air, lung
  • poly-: much, many
  • post-: after
  • pre-: before
  • pseudo-: false
  • pyo-: pus
  • pyro-: fever
  • quadra-: four
  • retro-: behind
  • semi-: half
  • sub-: under
  • super-: above, excess
  • supra-: above
  • tachy-: fast
  • trans-: across, through
  • un-: against
  • uni-: one
  • ultra-: excess
  • vaso-: vessel

Suffixes

• Root words:
  • adeno: gland
  • arthro: joint
  • bucc/ bucca: cheek
  • carcin: cancer
  • cardi/ cardio: heart
  • cephal/ cephalo: head
  • chole: bile, gallbladder
  • col/ colo: colon
  • crani/ cranio: skull
  • cyst/ cysto: bladder, cyst, sac
  • derma: skin
  • doch: duct
  • duodeno: duodenum
  • entero: intestine
  • gastr/ gastro: stomach
  • glossa: tongue
  • hepat/ hepato: liver
  • hyster/ hystero: uterus
  • jejuno: jejunum
  • leuco/ leuk: white
  • lith: stone
  • mast: breast
  • morbidity: diseased state
  • myo: muscle
  • nephro: kidney
  • neuro: nerve
  • oophor: ovary
  • ophthalmo: eye
  • orchi: testicle
  • os: opening, orifice
  • oto: ear
  • phlebo: vein
  • pneumo: lung
  • procto: rectum
  • rhino: nose
  • salping/ salpingo: tube
  • skeleto: skeleton
  • thoraco: chest
  • ur/ uro: urine
  • vaso: vessel

Medical Symbols

• Symbols:
  • 𝑎: before
  • 𝑝: after
  • 𝑐: with
  • 𝑠: without
  • 𝑞: every
  • △: change
  • X: times
  • =: equal to
  • %: percent
  • #: number, pound

Time Conversion

• Understand the conversion between military and continental time.

Test your knowledge of common medical abbreviations used in healthcare settings. Identify the meanings of these shortened terms and acronyms. Essential for healthcare professionals and students!