Health Science 2 Medical Abbreviations N-Z
N
N/A
Na
NA
NaCl
NB
neg
Neur
NG, N/G
NICU
NIDDM
NIH
nil
NKA
NKDA
no
noc, noct
NP
NPO
N/S, NS
N/V, N & V
NVD
NVS
Nitrogen
Not applicable
Sodium
Nurse aide/assistant
Sodium chloride
Newborn
Negative
Neurology
Nasogastric tube
Neurologic intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
National Institute of Health
None
No known allergies
No known drug allergies
Number
At night, night
Nurse practitioner
Nothing by mouth
Normal saline
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Neurological vital signs
O2
O&P
Ob, Obs
od
OD
oint
OOB
OR
Ortho
os
OS
OSHA
OT
OTC
OU
oz
Oxygen
Ova and parasites
Obstetrics
overdose
Right eye
ointment
Out of bed
Operating room
Orthopedics
Mouth
Left eye
Occupational safety and Health Administration
Occupational therapy/therapist
Over the counter
Each eye
Ounce
p
P
PA
PAC
PAP
para
Path
Pb
pc
PDR
PE
Peds
per
pH
Pharm
PID
PKU
PMC
PMS
PNS
po (lower)
PO(upper)
post
post-op
PP
PPE
pre-op
prn
Psy
pt
PT
PVC
PVD
(Lower case “p” with a line over it) after
Pulse
Physician’s assistant
Premature atrial contraction
Papanicolau test (smear)
Number of pregnancies
Pathology
Lead
After meals
Physicians’ desk reference
Physical examination, pulmonary edema
Pediatrics
By, through
Measure of acidity/alkalinity
Pharmacy
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Phenylketonuria
Postmortem care
Premenstrual syndrome
Peripheral nervous system
By mouth
Phone order
Posterior, after
After an operation
Postpartum (after delivery)
Personal protective equipment
Before and operation
Whenever necessary, as needed
Psychology, psychiatry
Patient, pint
Physical therapy/therapist
Premature ventricular contraction
Peripheral vascular disease
q
qd
q2h
q3h
q4h
qhs
qid
qns
qod
qs
qt
every
Every day
Every 2 hours
Every 3 hours
Every 4 hours
Every night at bedtime
4 times per day
Quantity not sufficient
Every other day
Quantity sufficient
Quart
R
Rt
RBC
RDA
REM
RHD
RLQ
RN
R/O
ROM
RUQ
Rx
Respiration, rectal
Right
Red blood cell
Recommended daily allowance
Rapid eye movement
Rheumatic heart disease
Right lower quadrant
Registered nurse
Rule out
Range of motion
Right upper quadrant
Prescription, take, treatment
s (lower)
sc, SC
SIDS
SOB
S/S, S & S
Staph
stat
STD
STI
supp
(lower case w/ line over the top) without
Subcutaneous
Sudden infant death syndrome
Short of breath
Sign and symptom
Staphylococcus infection
Immediately, at once
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted infection
Suppository
T&A
T
tab
TB
tbsp
TCDB
TIA
tid
TLC
TO
tol
TPN
TPR
tsp
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
Temperature
Tablet
Tuberculosis
Tablespoon
Turn, cough, deep breath
Transient ischemic attack
3 times a day
Tender loving care
Telephone order
Tolerated
Total parental nutrition
Temperature, pulse, respirations
Teaspoon
UA, U/A
URI
UTI
UV
Urinalysis
Upper respiratory infection
Urinary tract infection
ultraviolet
Vag
VD
VO
VS
Vaginal
Venereal disease
Verbal order
Vital signs
WBC
w/c
WHO
WNL
w/o
wt
White blood cell
Wheelchair
World health organization
Within normal limits
Without
weight
x (lower)
XR
Times (2x means do 2 times)
X-ray
y/o, yo
Years old
Zn
zinc