Nursing Abbreviations

ABG  ------------- Arterial blood gas
aPTT ------------- Activated partial thromboplastin time
BP   ------------- Blood pressure
BUN  ------------- Blood urea nitrogen
CDC  ------------- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDU  ------------- Chest drainage unit
CHG  ------------- Chlorhexidine gluconate
CVAD ------------- Central venous access device
CVC  ------------- Central venous catheter
ECG  ------------- Electrocardiogram
FDA  ------------- Food and Drug Administration
GI   ------------- Gastrointestinal
HIPAA ------------- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
I & O ------------- Intake and output
IM   -------------- Intramuscular
IV   -------------- Intravenous
MAR -------------- Medication administration record
MDI -------------- Metered-dose inhaler
NE -------------- Nasoenteric
NG -------------- Nasogastric
NPO -------------- Nothing by mouth
NPWT -------------- Negative pressure wound therapy
PEG -------------- Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
PICC -------------- Peripherally inserted central catheter
PMI -------------- Point of maximum impulse
PN -------------- Parenteral nutrition
PPE -------------- Personal protective equipment
PRN -------------- As needed
PT -------------- Prothrombin time
PTT -------------- Partial thromboplastin time
ROM -------------- Range of motion
SaO2 -------------- Arterial oxygen saturation
SCD -------------- Sequential compression device
TRAC -------------- Therapeutic regulated accurate care
VAD -------------- Vascular access device
VAP -------------- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
VS -------------- Vital signs
WBC -------------- White blood cell(s)


Pregnancy Abbreviations
Abortion ------------ the spontaneous or induced termination of pregnancy before the fetus reaches viability
Chloasma -------------- mask of pregnancy
Crowning ------------- presentation of the fetal head at the vaginal
introitus CST -------------- contraction stress test
Deceleration -------------- decrease in fetal heart rate
Dilatation -------------- widening of cervical os and canal
Eclampsia -------------- seizures 2 to hypertension
EDDor EDC -------------- estimated date of delivery or confinement
Embryo phase -------------- weeks 3–8
Effacement -------------- shortening and thinning of cervix
Fetus phase -------------- from week 9 until delivery
FHR -------------- fetal heart rate
FHT -------------- fetal heart tone
Gravida -------------- number of ALL pregnancies, regardless of outcome, including current pregnancy
HCG -------------- human chorionic gonadotropin
HELLP ---------Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Lowered Platelets (a bleeding disorder similar to DIC)
Homans’ sign -------------- pain elicited by dorsiflexion of foot
Hyperemesis -------------- excessive nausea and vomiting in early gravidarum pregnancy
IDM -------------- infant of diabetic mother
Involution -------------- return of uterus to nonpregnant size
Lanugo -------------- soft downy body hair
LGA -------------- large for gestational age
LNMP -------------- last normal menstrual period
L:S ratio -------------- lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio: determines fetal lung maturity (2:1 ratio is desirable)
MAb -------------- miscarriage abortion
Macrosomia -------------- birth weight > 4000 g
Meconium -------------- fetal defecation while in utero at time of labor that occurs with fetal distress
Miscarriage -------------- spontaneous abortion
Multigravida -------------- has been pregnant more than once
Multipara -------------- two or more pregnancies beyond 20 weeks
Nidation -------------- implantation occurs between day 7 to 10 postconception
NST -------------- nonstress test
Nullipara -------------- never produced a viable offspring
OCT -------------- oxytocin challenge test
Operculum -------------- .mucus plug
Organogenesis -------------- weeks 3–8
Para -------------- number of viable births > 20 weeks
Pica -------------- ingestion of nonnutritive substances
PIH -------------- pregnancy-induced hypertension (see preeclampsia this section)
Post-term -------------- gestation lasting longer than 42 weeks
POC -------------- product of conception
Preeclampsia -------------- mild preeclampsia is 140/90 or higher and severe is 160/110 or higher
Preterm -------------- born prior to beginning of 38th week
Primigravida -------------- first pregnancy ever
Primipara -------------- only one pregnancy carried past 20 weeks
PTL -------------- preterm labor
Puerperal -------------- up to 21–42 days postpartum period
ROM -------------- rupture of membranes (1000 mL at term)
SGA -------------- small for gestational age
Station, fetal -------------- relation of presenting part to maternal pelvic ischial spines
Striae -------------- stretch marks
Supine -------------- caused by compression of vena cava hypotension

■ Relieved by lying in a lateral recumbent position
TAb -------------- therapeutic abortion
Teratogenic -------------- harmful to developing embryo
TPAL -------------- Term, Premature births, Abortions or miscarriages, Living children
Trimester -------------- one of three phases of pregnancy, each consisting of 13 weeks
Variability -------------- refers to irregularities in fetal heart rate
Vernix -------------- cheeselike coating on newborn’s skin
Viability -------------- pregnancy lasting beyond 20 weeks of gestation
Viable fetus -------------- uncompromised fetus beyond 20 weeks

Common Abbreviations
AKI -------------- Acute kidney injury
ALI --------------Acute lung injury
ARDS -------------- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
BAL -------------- Bronchoalveolar lavage
CABG -------------- Coronary artery bypass graft
CI -------------- Cardiac index
COPD -------------- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPB -------------- Cardiopulmonary bypass
CRRT -------------- Continuous renal replacement therapy
CT -------------- Computed tomography
DO2 -------------- Oxygen delivery
ECMO -------------- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
EEG -------------- Electroencephalogram
EKG -------------- Electrocardiogram
GFR -------------- Glomerular filtration rate
ICP -------------- Intracranial pressure
ICU -------------- Intensive care unit
IL -------------- Interleukin
LPS -------------- Lipopolysaccharide
LV -------------- Left ventricular
MAP -------------- Mean arterial pressure
MRI --------------Magnetic resonance imaging
NO -------------- Nitric oxide
OR -------------- Odds ratio
PEEP -------------- Positive end-expiratory pressure
PPV -------------- Pulse pressure variation
ROS -------------- Reactive oxygen species
RRT -------------- Renal replacement therapy
SIRS -------------- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
SOFA -------------- Sequential organ failure assessment
SVR -------------- Systemic vascular resistance
SVV -------------- Stroke volume variation
TBI -------------- Traumatic brain injury
TNF -------------- Tumor necrosis factor
VAP -------------- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
VILI -------------- Ventilator-induced lung injury

Common Abbreviations Associated with ECG
NSR ---------------- normal sinus rhythm
SB ------------------ sinus bradycardia
ST ------------------- sinus tachycardia
A-fib ----------------- atrial fibrillation
A-flutter -------------- atrial flutter
VT -------------------- ventricular tachycardia
VF -------------------- ventricular fibrillation
PVC ------------------ premature ventricular complex
PAC ------------------- premature atrial complex
PJC -------------------- premature Junctional complex
PSVT ------------------ paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
SVT ------------------- supraventricular tachycardia


Intensive Care Abbreviations
ACE-I -------------- angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
ACh --------------   acetylcholine
ACT --------------  activated clotting time
ADH --------------  antidiuretic hormone
AF --------------  atrial fibrillation
APTT --------------  activated partial thromboplastin time
ARDS --------------  acute respiratory distress syndrome
AUC --------------  area under the curve
AV --------------  atrioventricular
BP --------------  blood pressure
CABG --------------  coronary artery bypass graft
cAMP --------------  cyclic AMP
CC --------------  creatinine clearance
CMV --------------  cytomegalovirus
CNS --------------  central nervous system
CO --------------  cardiac output
COPD --------------  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPR --------------  cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CSF --------------  cerebrospinal fluid
CT --------------  computerised tomography
CVP --------------  central venous pressure
CVVH --------------  continuous veno-venous haemofiltration
CVVHD --------------  continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration
DI --------------  diabetes insipidus
DIC --------------  disseminated intravascular coagulation
DVT --------------  deep vein thrombosis
EBV --------------  Epstein–Barr virus
ECG --------------  electrocardiogram
EEG --------------  electroencephalogram
EMD --------------  electromechanical dissociation
ETCO2 --------------  end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration
FBC --------------  full blood count
FFP --------------  fresh frozen plasma
g --------------  gram
GCS --------------  Glasgow Coma Scale
GFR --------------  glomerular filtration rate
GH --------------  growth hormone
GI --------------  gastrointestinal
h --------------  hour
HOCM --------------  hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
HR --------------  heart rate
ICP --------------  intracranial pressure
ICU --------------  intensive care unit
IHD --------------  ischaemic heart disease
IM --------------  intramuscular
INR --------------  international normalised ratio
IOP -------------- intraocular pressure
IPPV -------------- intermittent positive pressure ventilation
IV -------------- intravenous
K+ -------------- potassium
kg -------------- kilogram
l -------------- litre
LFT -------------- liver function test
LH -------------- luteinising hormone
LMWH -------------- low-molecular-weight heparin
MAOI -------------- monoamine oxidase inhibitor
MAP -------------- mean arterial pressure
M6G -------------- morphine-6-glucuronide
mg -------------- milligram
MH -------------- malignant hyperthermia
MI -------------- myocardial infarction
MIC -------------- minimum inhibitory concentration
min -------------- minute
ml -------------- millilitre
MRSA -------------- meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
NG -------------- nasogastric route
ng -------------- nanogram
NJ -------------- nasojejunal
nocte -------------- at night
NSAID -------------- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
PaCO2 -------------- partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood
PaO2 -------------- partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood
PCAS -------------- patient-controlled analgesia system
PCI -------------- percutaneous coronary intervention
PCP -------------- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
PCWP -------------- pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
PD -------------- peritoneal dialysis
PE -------------- pulmonary embolism
PEA -------------- pulseless electrical activity
PEG -------------- percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
PEJ -------------- percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy
PO -------------- per orum (by mouth)
PR -------------- per rectum (rectal route)
PRN -------------- pro re nata (as required)
PVC -------------- polyvinyl chloride
PVD -------------- peripheral vascular disease
RR -------------- respiratory rate
s -------------- second
SC -------------- subcutaneous
SIRS -------------- systemic inflammatory response syndrome
SL -------------- sublingual
SSRI -------------- selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors
STEMI -------------- ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
SVR -------------- systemic vascular resistance
SVT -------------- supraventricular tachycardia
TFT -------------- thyroid function test
TNF -------------- tumour necrosis factor
TPN -------------- total parenteral nutrition
U&E -------------- urea and electrolytes
VF -------------- ventricular fibrillation
VRE -------------- vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium
VT -------------- ventricular tachycardia
WFI -------------- water for injection
WPW -------------- syndrome Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome