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Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas "Julio Trigo López"
Lic. Vivian Amparo Martínez Sánchez1 y Lic. Beatriz Goenaga Conde2
Shortening as a word building process has become very productive in present day English. Abbreviations in nursing have also found a way for professional and quick communication. The main goals of this article, based on actual teaching-learning problems, is to provide some practical activities to give the learners opportunities to get acquainted with and practice abbreviations in an effective and communicative way, and to provide a glossary of the most frequently used abbreviations by nurses.
Subject headings: ABBREVIATIONS; COMMUNICATION; NURSES´ INS-TRUCTIONS [PUBLICATION TYPE]
Shortening is considered a very productive word-building process. It is the dropping of the latter part of a word so as to produce a new and shorter word of the same meaning. The strain of modern life is obviously one of the reasons for this development. For example, almost all written material in hospital is written to be read at a glance because consultants read them before they do their rounds, and new nurses to acquaint with their patients. Similarly, the daily ward repots are read by the offgoing nurse in charge to the oncoming staff.1
In English, shortenings may be present in written and spoken forms. Each of them has its own pattern, but as there is a constant exchange between both, it is sometimes difficult to tell whether a given shortening was originated in one or in the other.
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity especially in writing in place of the whole. Two possible types of correlation should be noted between the written and spoken forms:
1. If the abbreviation can be read as an ordinary English word,
it will be read as one. For example,
UFO - Unidentified Flying Object
Polyps - Polymorphonuclear leuckocytes
MSU - Mid Stream Urine
2. The other group consists of initial abbreviations with alphabetic
reading retained. For example,
P.R - pupil reaction
B.P.- blood pressure
P- pulse
The term abbreviation may also be used for a shortened form
of a written word or phrase used in a text in place of the whole for brevity.
For example,
Cas.- casualty
Elix.- elixir
Caps.- capsule
Not much has been written about abbreviations in English for
Foreign Language Teaching and less in English for Specific Purpose (ESP), even
though in the practice of nursing, this word-building process has found a field
of development. High frequency use of abbreviations like: ADL- Activities of
Daily Living
a.c.- (Latin: ante cibum) before meals
b.i.d.- (Latin: bis in die) twice a day
h.s.- (Latin: hora somni) at bed time
n.r.- (Latin: non repitatur) do not repeat
p.c.- (Latin: post cibum) after meals
p.r.n.- (Latin: pro re nata) as needed
q. ____ h. _(Latin: quaque _____ hora) every ____ hours
q.o.d. every other day
t.i.d.- (Latin: ter in die) three times a day
for instance, are not present in any of the syllabus used at present in ESP
courses in English subject for nursing learners.2-4
Daily teaching has demonstrated that there is a handicap with the mastery of abbreviations. There is a lack of knowledge, which constitutes a language barrier. One of the problems for learners is that there is no correspondence between the English and the Spanish abbreviations as to initials. Therefore, the learner cannot make a transfer from their mother tongue to the target language. Another problem is that teachers of English tend to concentrate their teaching on oral practice, whereas, writing has turned to be a neglected skill. Therefore, there is no teaching, and there is no practical activity to use abbreviations. Moreover, abbreviations are not an objective in the ESP syllabuses in Schools of Medical Sciences in Cuba, even though there are around fifty in the ESP textbooks used at present.2-4 Consequently, specialists need to study by themselves the majority of abbreviations, in order to be able to use them when working overseas in English speaking communities, because there is no enough bibliography for teachers of ESP to deepen in their use in the field of nursing.
This article sets out to provide practical activities in the teaching-learning process of abbreviations for nursing learners. These practical activities are task focused. They can first be done as a classroom activity and putting them into practice in training-on-the-job activities such as ward rounds, grand rounds, and shift-handover.5
Exercise 1
Puzzle
a. Find ten abbreviations
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b. What to they stand for?
Abd - abdomen DAT - diet as tolerated
GI - gastro-intestinal ER - emergency room
H - hour DOA - dead on arrival
BP - blood pressure dsg - dressing
cc - cubic centimeter Dx - diagnosis
Hd - fluid F - Fahrenheit
JUV - jugular vein distention KUB - kidney, ureter, and bladder
Puzzle
a. Find the abbreviation, which stands for:
morning care patient three times a day
head injuries casualty
Electrocardiogram every other day
bed bath nothing by mouth total nursing care
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Choose a or b according to the information given:
1. The doctor said that the foetos was in breech presentation
a. bp b. BP
2. Nurses make emphasis on a careful
a. a.m. care b. AMC
3. The nurse replied that the patient had to be sent to the
a. DR. b. dr.
Transcribe:
a. Some nursing notes are very brief, like the following example. Can you transcribe
them?
Mr. J. Smith N/P # skull R.T.A. admitted via cas. 10: 30 p.m. Unconscious since
admission. Head of bed raised. P, BP, PR reordered 1/2 hourly.
b. Some notes are not so brief. Fill in the gaps in these notes, not using abbreviations.
Mr. J. Smith´s diagnosis: fractured skull. Involved in a _________________
The patient was admitted via ________________ at ___________
And has been unconscious since admission. The head of his bed has been raised.
His _______________, _______________ and ______________ have ben recorded _________________
since admission.
N/P - new patient R.T.A. - road traffic accident
Pt - patient P.R. - pupil reaction
Cas - casualty # - fractured
a. Abbreviate the underlined terms (teacher writes on board):
HI, EKG or ECG, SW, BB, TNC, MSU.
a. In the following sentences some of the words are abbreviated. Can you guess what they mean?
TPR temperature, pulse and respiration
CSF cerebral spinal fluid
PR pupil reaction
PU passed urine
NPO nothing by mouth
D/W discussed with
a. Read the following nursing notes and discuss with a partner
what they mean. Then write a full version, using complete sentences and no abbreviations.
T.N.C. N.P.U. BP raised. PR unequal 8 p.m. Doctor X informed. Seen by Doctor
X 8:30 p.m.. For burr-holes 10 p.m.
Total nursing care has been given. The patient has not passed urine since admission. At 8 p.m. his blood pressure was raised and the pupil reaction to light was unequal. Doctor X was informed. The patient was seen by Doctor X at 8.30 p.m. and is to have a burr-hole operation on his skull at 10:00 p.m.
a. You are the off-going shift nurse. You are to present written
shift handover report (use abbreviations when needed). You have only got five
minutes to report on three cases.
b. Present the shift handover report to the other nurse who is coming on.
Commonly used abbreviations and meanings in nursing.
A
+, &
And
a. Before
a.c. before meals
A.M. Morning
aa of each
Abd. Abdomen
abort. Abortion
accomd. Accommodation
ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone
ad lib. as desired
ad. up to
ADH. Antidiuretic hormone
ADL. activities of daily living
alt. dieb. alternate days
Amb ambulatory
Approx. approximately/about
ASA aspirin
Ax. axillary (i.e., axillary
temp.)
B
b.i.d two times a
day or twice a day
baso. basophile
BCG (vaccine) basille Calmetter Guerin
bili. bilirrubin
bl. cult. blood culture
BM bowel movement
BMR basal metabolic rate
BP blood pressure
br.sound breath sounds
BRP bathroom privileges
BS blood sugar
BSP bronsulphalein
BUN blood urea nitrogen
C
C centrigade
(37 °)
c. with
C/o¹ complained of
C+S culture and sensitive
ca cancer
CA. carcinoma or cancer
cat. catheter
CBC complete blood count
cc cubic centimeter (or cm´)
CC. chief complaint
ceph. floc. cephalin flocculation test
cl. chloride
cldy. cloudy
CNS Central Nervous System
CNS Central Nervous System
CO2 Carbon
dioxide
cont. continued
CPC Clinicopathological conference
CSF Cerebro spinal fluid
CVA cerebrovascular accident
CVP central venous pressure
chol. cholesterol
chol. est. cholesterol esters
D
D&C dilation &
curettage
D/W discussed with
D+C dilation and curettage
DAT diet as tolerated
DC discontinue (i.e.,
"DC Lasix.")
DC´d discontinued (i.e., "Lasix
DC´d.")
decr. diminished or decreased
Derm Dermatology
diag. diagnosis
dil. dilute
disch. discharge
DL danger list
DOA dead on arrival
DPT diphtheria toxoid, pertussis vaccine,
tetanus toxoid
dsg. dressing
Dx. diagnosis
E
EBL estimated
blood loss
ECG electrocardiogram (EKG may be
preferred for legibility)
ECT electroconvulsive
ECHO virus enterocyptopathogenic human orphan viruses
EDC estimated date of confinement
EEG electroencephalogram
elix. elixir
ENT ears, nose & throat
or ear, nose & throat
EOM extraocular movement
epith. epithelium or epithelial
ER (ED) emergency room (departament)
EST electroshock
therapy
expir. expiration or expiratory
ext. extract
F
# fracture
F. Fahrenheit
(98.6 F)
fam.doc. family doctor (no longer accepted)
family
phys.
family
physician
referring
doctor
FBS fasting blood sugar
Fe iron
FETAL POSITION PRESENTATION
LFA (RFA) left frontoanterior (right)
LFP (RFP) left frontoposterior (right)
LFT (RFT) left frontotransverse (right)
LMA (RMA) left mentoanterior (right)
LMP (RMP) left mentoposterior (right)
LMT (RMT) left metrotransverse (right)
LOA left
occiput anterior
LOP left
occiput posterior
LOT left
occiput transverse
LSA (RSA) left sacrum anterior (right)
LSP (RSP) left sacrum posterior (right)
LST (RST) left sacrum transverse (right)
ROA right
occiput anterior
ROP right
occiput posterior
ROT right
occiput transverse
FH family
history
Fld fluid
for. body foreign body
fract. fracture
FSH follicle
stimulating hormone
G
gal. gallon
GI gastrointestinal
gm or g gram (measurement)
Gml grams
per hundred milliliters of serum or blood as
specified
gold.sol. colloidal gold curve
GPR glomerular
filtration rate
gr. grain
(measurement used in medicine)
Grav.I, Grav. primigravide, secundigravida
II indicating
a woman of so many pregnancies.
Gtt drop
(measurement used in medicine)
GU genitourinary
Gyn. gynecology
H
H hour
H&H hemoglobin
& hematocrit
H.I. head
injuries
h.s. hour
of sleep, bed time
H.S. at
bed time
H/O history
of
HAA hepatitis
associated antigen
Hct. hematocrit
Hgb
hemoglobin
Hi. cal high
calory
Hint. Hinton
Hi vit
high vitamin
HOB head
of bead
hpf. per
high powered field (used only in describing urine sediments)
ht height
I
I131 radioactive
iodine
I&D incision
and drainage (included because of general use)
I&Q intake
and output (I&O)
IM intramuscular
incr. increased
or increasing
inspr. Inspiration
or inspiratory
IPPB intermittent
positive pressure breathing
IQ intelligence
quotient
Irrig. irrigation
IUD intrauterine
device
IV intravenous
IVP intravenous
pyelogram
J
JVD jugular vein distention
K
K potassium
Kg kilogram
KJ knee
jerk
KUB kidney,
ureter, and bladder
L
L or lt. left
(sometimes it is light,when describing colors)
I & W living
and well
Lab. laboratory
lap. laparotomy
lat. lateral
lb. pound
LBBB left
bundle branch block
LDH lactic
acid dehydragenase
liq. Liquid
L left
LMP last
menstrual period
lot. lotion
LP lumbar
puncture
LSD lysergic
diethylamide
LUL left
upper lobe (lung)
LUQ left
upper quadrant
LUQ
left upper quadrant (abdomen)
lymphs lymphocytes
LLL left
lower lobe (lung)
LLQ left
lower quadrant
LLQ left
lower quadrant (abdomen)
M
m.
minun
M1
mitral first
MCH
mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC mean
corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
MCV mean
corpuscular volume
Mg. magnesium
mg. % milligrams
per hundred milliliters of serum blood
Meq (Meq/1) milliequivalents (per liter)
M. et N. morning
and night
Mn.
manganese
med. medicine
mixt. mixture
mg. milligram
mid.
middle
min. minute
ml. milliliter
mm. millimeter
mod. moderate
mono monocyte
N
Na. sodium
NAD nothing
abnormal detected
N+V nausea
& vomiting
neg. negative
neuro.
Neurology or neurological
no. number
noc. night
noct. nocturnal
non. rep do not
repeat
NPN nonprotein
nitrogen
NPO nothing
by mouth
NS neurosurgery
#, No.
number
O
O2 oxygen
o.d. right
eye
o.s. left
eye
O2
oxygen capacity
O2 sat oxygen
saturation
OB/GYN obstetrics & gynecology
obs. Obstetrics
or obstetrical
Occ. th. occupational
therapy
ol. oil
OO right
eye
op. operation
OR. operating
room
orth orthopedic
OT old
tuberculin
ou.
both eyes
oz. ounce
P
p after
p pulse
P phosphorus
P2 pulmonic
second heart sound
P32 radioactive
phosphorus
Para I, Para II primipara, secundipara (indicating a woman of so many
children)
paracent paracentesis
PBI protein
boun iodine
p.c. (Latin:
post cibum) after meals
PE physical
examination
Peds. Pediatrics
PELVIC MEASUREMENTS:
ant. anterior
Post. Sag. D. posterior sagital diameter
A.P.D. anteroposterior
diameter
bisp. bispinous
or interspinous diameter
DC diagonal
conjugate
IT intertuberous
OC obstetrical
conjugate
Tans. D. transverse diameter
percuss. & percussion and auscultation.
"P &
AUSC. & A "is disparaged)
p.r. per
rectum
p.r.n. (Latin:
pro re nata) as often as necessary p4 hydrogen ion concentration
per through
or by
peri. care perineal care
PERRLA pupils equal, round reactive
to light and accommodation
PH Past
History
Phys. Th. Physicial Therapy
PI present
illness
pk. dissociation
constant
PKU phenylkeronuria
PM afternoon,
evening (after 12 noon)
PMI point
of maximal impulse
po (Latin:
per os) by mouth
polyps.
polymorphonuclear leucocytes
POMR patient
oriented medical record
Pop. smear Papanicolaus smear test
poplit. popliteal
Post op postoperative
Pre op preoperative
prep. prepare
for
prn when
necessary (total protein is preferred when
prot. protein
referring to a clinical determination of the protein of the blood.)
prothr. cont. prothrombin content
prothr. time. prothrombin time
PSP
phenosulfonphthallein
psych psychological
PT physical
therapy
pt. patient
pulv. powder
PZI protamine
zinc insulin
Q
q every
q.s
quantity sufficient
q.d. every
day
q.h. every
hour
q.i.d every
other day
q.o.d. every
other day
qt. quart
q2h. (Latin:
quaque duo hora) every two hours q3h (Latin: quaque tres horas) every three
hours
q4h
(Latin: quaque quatuor hora) every four hours
q.(4) i.d (Latin:
quatuor in die) four times a day
q.n.
(Latin: quaque nocte) every night
q.n.s.
(Latin: quantume non statis) quantity not sufficient
quant.
quantitative or quantity
R
R/ rt. right
r/resp. respiration
RBC red
blood cell
rbc. red
blood cell
Rh Rhesus
blood factor
RLQ right
lower quadrant
RLL right
lower lobe (lung)
RML right
middle lobe (lung)
RRE round,
regular and equal
RUL right
upper lobe (lung)
RUQ right
upper quadrant
RUQ right
upper quadrant (abdomen)
Rx. therapy
S
S.O.S
(Latin: si opus sit) may be repeated once if urgently required
s.s. enema,
soapsuds enema
s without
sang. sanguineous
sat. saturated
sed.rate erythrocyte
sedimentation
SGOT serum
glutamic pyrubic transaminase
SGPT serum
glutamic oxalvacetic transaminase
SH Social
History
sig.
Label or write on label
SOB short
of breath
Sol. solution
(s)
ss. one
half
sp.gr.
specific gravity
S.R. system
review
spec. specimen
SQ (SC) subcutaneous
ss one
half
Staph staphilococcus
stat
(Latin: statim) immediately and once only
stillb stillborn
or still birth
strep. streptococcus
STS serologic
list for syphilis
Subcut. or subcutaneous
subs.
subling under
the tongue, sublingual
Surg, or Surgery
or surgical
surg.
SW stomach
washout
Sx
symptoms
sympat. sympathetic
sympt.
Symptom
syr. syrup
T
t.i.d three
times a day
tab. tablet
tap. teaspoon
tbc. tuberculosis
tbsp. tablespoon
tint. or tr. tincture
TLC tender
loving care
TPR temperature,
pulse & respiration
TSH thyroid
stimulating hormone
Tx treatment
U
U unit
U/A
urine analysis
ung. ointment
URI
upper respiratory infection (included because of general use)
Urol. or rural Urology or urological
UTI urinary
tract infection
V
vag. vaginal
VC or Vit vital capacity
VD venereal
disease
VDRL (test) venereal disease reaearch laboratory test
Via by way of
Vit.
Vitamin when followed by specific letter, i.e.
Vit.
C
vo verbal
order
W
w.a.
while awake
Wass Wassermman
WBC
white blood count
Wbc white
blood cell
WD or WN well developed, well nourished
Wt weight
Notes: w/ and w/o are "with" and without" in everyday English. Common people would not recognize c, s.
El uso de abreviaturas como proceso de construcción de palabras se ha vuelto muy productivo en el Inglés actual. Las abreviaciones también han encontrado un camino para la comunicación profesional y rápida. Los principales objetivos de este artículo, son proporcionar algunas oportunidades prácticas para brindar a los que aprenden oportunidades de familiarizarse y practicar abreviaturas de una forma eficaz y comunicativa, y proporcionar un glosario de las abreviaturas utilizadas más frecuentemente por las enfermeras.
DeCS: ABREVIATURAS; COMUNICACION; INSTRUCCION PARA ENFERMERAS [TIPO DE PUBLICACION]
Referencias bibliográficas
Recibido: 21 de marzo del 2001. Aprobado: 14 de mayo del 2001.
Lic. Vivian Amparo Martínez Sánchez. Instituto Superior
de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas
"Julio Trigo López".
1
Profesora Auxiliar.
2 Profesora Asistente.