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Medical abbreviations quiz
Sixty abbreviations you’ll meet on charts and orders in the first weeks of any health course, split into four decks. Twelve questions a round, and anything you miss comes back in the list at the end.
What does it stand for?
Abbreviations are the labels. Body Unpacked is what they’re labelling.
We make Body Unpacked, an iPhone health-education app. Pick one of 44 everyday foods and it draws the chain for you: the nutrients in it, the established job each one does, and where in the body that happens.
- Every claim names its source and every number shows where it comes from.
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All 60, to study from
Orders and routes
| PRN | as needed |
|---|---|
| BID | twice a day |
| TID | three times a day |
| QID | four times a day |
| q4h | every 4 hours |
| AC | before meals |
| PC | after meals |
| PO | by mouth |
| NPO | nothing by mouth |
| IV | intravenous (into a vein) |
| IM | intramuscular (into a muscle) |
| STAT | immediately |
| gtt | drops |
| OTC | over the counter |
| Rx | prescription |
Vitals and tests
| BP | blood pressure |
|---|---|
| HR | heart rate |
| RR | respiratory rate |
| SpO2 | oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximeter |
| TPR | temperature, pulse, respiration |
| VS | vital signs |
| BMI | body mass index |
| CBC | complete blood count |
| BMP | basic metabolic panel |
| ECG | electrocardiogram |
| CT | computed tomography |
| MRI | magnetic resonance imaging |
| I&O | intake and output |
| UA | urinalysis |
| CXR | chest X-ray |
Conditions
| HTN | hypertension (high blood pressure) |
|---|---|
| DM | diabetes mellitus |
| MI | myocardial infarction (heart attack) |
| CHF | congestive heart failure |
| COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| CVA | cerebrovascular accident (stroke) |
| TIA | transient ischemic attack |
| UTI | urinary tract infection |
| URI | upper respiratory infection |
| DVT | deep vein thrombosis |
| PE | pulmonary embolism |
| GERD | gastroesophageal reflux disease |
| CAD | coronary artery disease |
| AKI | acute kidney injury |
| Fx | fracture |
Charting
| Hx | history |
|---|---|
| Dx | diagnosis |
| Tx | treatment |
| Sx | symptoms |
| c/o | complains of |
| SOB | shortness of breath |
| N/V | nausea and vomiting |
| WNL | within normal limits |
| NKDA | no known drug allergies |
| ADL | activities of daily living |
| ROM | range of motion |
| DNR | do not resuscitate |
| NGT | nasogastric tube |
| ED | emergency department |
| ICU | intensive care unit |
Abbreviations you should not write
Some abbreviations cause medication errors and appear on The Joint Commission’s official “Do Not Use” list for accredited U.S. organisations. Write them out instead:
- U or u: write “unit”.
- IU: write “international unit”.
- QD and QOD: write “daily” and “every other day”.
- MS, MSO4, MgSO4: write “morphine sulfate” or “magnesium sulfate”.
- Trailing zeros (5.0 mg) and missing leading zeros (.5 mg): write 5 mg and 0.5 mg.
Source: The Joint Commission, Official “Do Not Use” List. Abbreviations vary between hospitals and countries, and some have more than one meaning (PT can be physical therapy or prothrombin time). Always follow the approved list where you study or work.
How to make them stick
- One deck a day. Fifteen terms is about the limit before they blur.
- Say the full phrase aloud when you answer. Recognising a meaning is easier than producing it, and exams ask you to produce it.
- Retry only the misses. Going round the ones you already know feels good and teaches nothing.
Word parts next? Try medical word parts practice.
Questions people ask
What does PRN mean?
PRN means as needed. It comes from the Latin pro re nata and is used for medicines given when a symptom occurs rather than on a fixed schedule.
What does NPO mean?
NPO means nothing by mouth, from the Latin nil per os. The patient should not eat or drink, usually before a procedure.
What is the difference between BID, TID and QID?
BID is twice a day, TID is three times a day and QID is four times a day.
Are these abbreviations the same everywhere?
No. Most are widely used in North America, but hospitals keep their own approved lists and some abbreviations have more than one meaning. Follow the list where you study or work.
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