4.1 Introduction to Abbreviations
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to
- Define abbreviations pertaining to patient medications
- Define abbreviations pertaining to patient activity and nutrition orders
- Define abbreviations pertaining to patient diseases and symptoms
- Define abbreviations pertaining to patient diagnostic tests and procedure orders
- Define abbreviations pertaining to laboratory obstetrical and psychiatric orders
- Describe the use of the 24-hour clock
Chapter Overview
Abbreviations are commonplace in medical settings. Because of the possibility of errors, certain abbreviations are not allowed in some facilities, so it is important to review which abbreviations are, and are not, allowed in any medical setting you may find yourself working in. This chapter will provide a thorough overview of abbreviations, their meanings, and key concepts to consider when you see or use abbreviations in your future work setting. Although there are a number of abbreviations covered in this chapter, you may see others in your practice. This is especially true in more specialized settings and hospital units. The tables, pictures, exercises, and final chapter review will give you a solid foundation of knowledge about abbreviations. As you progress through future chapters in this book, you will see some of these abbreviations again as they relate to body systems, tests, and medical concepts.
Attribution
Unless otherwise indicated, material on this page has been adapted from the following resource:
Carter, K., & Rutherford, M. (2020). Building a medical terminology foundation. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/medicalterminology/ licensed under CC BY 4.0
