Common Nursing Abbreviations

Front 1

c

Back 1

cup

Front 2

cc

Back 2

cubic centimeter

Front 3

cm

Back 3

centimeters

Front 4

dr

Back 4

drams

Front 5

dss

Back 5

2 teaspoons

Front 6

fl

Back 6

fluid

Front 7

ft

Back 7

foot

Front 8

g

Back 8

grams

Front 9

gal

Back 9

gallon

Front 10

gl

Back 10

glass

Front 11

gr

Back 11

grains

Front 12

gt

Back 12

drop

Front 13

gtt

Back 13

drops

Front 14

in

Back 14

inches

Front 15

kg

Back 15

kilograms

Front 16

L

Back 16

liters

Front 17

lb

Back 17

pound

Front 18

m

Back 18

meters

Front 19

mcg

Back 19

micrograms

Front 20

mEq

Back 20

milliquivalents

Front 21

mg

Back 21

milligrams

Front 22

mL

Back 22

milliliters

Front 23

mm

Back 23

millimeters

Front 24

oz

Back 24

ounce

Front 25

pt

Back 25

pint

Front 26

qt

Back 26

quart

Front 27

tbsp

Back 27

tablespoon

Front 28

tsp

Back 28

teaspoons

Front 29

U

Back 29

unit

Front 30

a

Back 30

before

Hint 30

ante

Front 31

ABG

Back 31

atrial blood gas

Front 32

ABT

Back 32

antibiotic therapy

Front 33

ac

Back 33

before meals

Hint 33

(ante cibum)

Front 34

AD

Back 34

right ear

Hint 34

auricula dexter

Front 35

ADH

Back 35

antidiuretic hormone

Front 36

ad lib

Back 36

as desired

Front 37

ADA

Back 37

American Diabetes Association

Front 38

am

Back 38

before noon

Hint 38

ante meridian

Front 39

AMA

Back 39

against medical advice

Front 40

aq

Back 40

water

Front 41

AS

Back 41

left ear

Hint 41

auricula sinister

Front 42

AU

Back 42

both ears

Hint 42

auriculi utro

Front 43

bid

Back 43

twice a day

Hint 43

(0900, 1700)

Front 44

BP

Back 44

blood pressure

Front 45

BUN

Back 45

blood urine nitrogen

Front 46

c

Back 46

with

Front 47

cap

Back 47

capsule

Front 48

CAD

Back 48

coronary artery disease

Front 49

CAT

Back 49

computerized axial tomography

Front 50

CBC

Back 50

complete blood count

Front 51

CF

Back 51

cystic fibrosis

Front 52

CHF

Back 52

congestive heart failure

Front 53

CNS

Back 53

central nervous system

Front 54

CO

Back 54

cardiac output

Front 55

COPD

Back 55

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Front 56

CPK

Back 56

creatinine phosphokinase

Front 57

CSF

Back 57

cerebrospinal fluid

Front 58

CVA

Back 58

cerebrovascular accident

Front 59

CVP

Back 59

central venous pressure

Front 60

EC

Back 60

enteric coated

Front 61

ECG

Back 61

electrocardiogram

Front 62

EEG

Back 62

electroencephalogram

Front 63

elix

Back 63

elixir

Front 64

ext

Back 64

extract

Front 65

GFR

Back 65

glomerulofiltration rate

Front 66

GT

Back 66

gastrostomy

Front 67

h

Back 67

hour

Front 68

hct

Back 68

hematocrit

Front 69

hgb

Back 69

hemoglobin

Front 70

hs

Back 70

hour of sleep, bedtime

(2100)

Front 71

ID

Back 71

intradermal

Front 72

ICP

Back 72

intracranial pressure

Front 73

IM

Back 73

intramuscular

Front 74

IV

Back 74

intrvenous

Front 75

IVP

Back 75

intravenous push/pyelogram

Front 76

IVPB

Back 76

intravenous piggyback

Front 77

KVO

Back 77

keep vein open

Front 78

MI

Back 78

myocardial infarction

Front 79

NG

Back 79

nasogastric

Front 80

NJ

Back 80

nasojejunal

Front 81

NPO

Back 81

nothing by mouth

Front 82

NS

Back 82

normal saline

Front 83

OD

Back 83

right eye

(oculus dexter)

Front 84

oint or ung

Back 84

ointment

Front 85

OTC

Back 85

over the counter

Front 86

OS

Back 86

left eye

(oculus sinister)

Front 87

OU

Back 87

both eyes

(oculo utro)

Front 88

p

Back 88

after

(post)

Front 89

pc

Back 89

after meals

(post cibum)

Front 90

per

Back 90

by

Front 91

pm

Back 91

after noon

(post meridian)

Front 92

po

Back 92

by mouth

(per os)

Front 93

pr

Back 93

per rectal

Front 94

prn

Back 94

whenever necessary

Front 95

PT

Back 95

prothrombin time

Front 96

PTT

Back 96

partial prothrombin time

Front 97

q

Back 97

every

Front 98

q1h

Back 98

every 1 hour

Front 99

q2h

Back 99

every 2 hour

Front 100

q3h

Back 100

every 3 hour

Front 101

q4h

Back 101

every 4 hour

( 0900, 1300, 1700, 2100, 0100, 0500 & back to 9am)

Front 102

q6h

Back 102

every 6 hour

(2400, 0600, 1200, 1800)

*NOTE: not qid (though given a total of 4x)

Front 103

q8h

Back 103

every 8 hour

(0600, 1400, 2200)

Front 104

qd

Back 104

every day

(0900)

Front 105

qh

Back 105

every hour

Front 106

qid

Back 106

four times a day

(0900, 1300, 1700, 2100)

*NOTE: not q6h (though given 4x)

Front 107

qod

Back 107

every other day

Front 108

qs

Back 108

quantity sufficient

Front 109

RBC

Back 109

red blood count

Front 110

ROM

Back 110

range of motion

Front 111

s

Back 111

without

Front 112

sc or sq

Back 112

subcutaneous

*may need to refer to JCO list for approved form; it may be neither (ex: subcut?)

Front 113

sl

Back 113

sublingual

Front 114

sol

Back 114

solution

Front 115

SR

Back 115

sustained release

Front 116

ss

Back 116

one half

Front 117

S/S

Back 117

signs and symptoms

Front 118

stat

Back 118

immediately

Front 119

supp

Back 119

suppository

Front 120

susp

Back 120

suspension

Front 121

syr

Back 121

syrup

Front 122

tab

Back 122

tablet

Front 123

tid

Back 123

three times a day

(0900, 1300, 1700)

Front 124

TO

Back 124

telephone order

Front 125

tr

Back 125

tincture

Front 126

UTI

Back 126

urinary tract infection

Front 127

VO

Back 127

verbal order

Front 128

VS

Back 128

vital sign

Front 129

WBC

Back 129

white blood count

Front 130

WNL

Back 130

within normal limits