Nursing - RN Abbreviations | RN Terminology


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Nursing Abbreviations That Begin With - A


a assessment
a or AB abortion or miscarriage
a or ART artery
A&E accident and emergency
A&P auscultation and percussion
A&W alive and well
a.c. before meals (Lat. ante cenam)
a.f.g.f. acidic fibroblast growth factor
a.k. above knee
a.p. before dinner
A.S.A. American Society of Anesthesiologists
A.S.A. 1 normal healthy patient
A.S.A. 2 patient with mild systemic disease
A.S.A. 3 patient with severe systemic disease
A.S.A. 4 patient with incapacitating systemic disease that is constant threat to life
A.Z. Ascheim-Zondek test
A/B acid/base ratio
A/BE acid/base equilibrium
A/G albumin globulin ratio
A/O alert and oriented
A2 aortic second sound
AA affected area
aa equal part of each
AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAL acute lymphoblastic leukemia - anterior axillary line
AAROM active assisted range of motion
AASP acute atrophic spinal paralysis
AAU acute anterior uveitis
AB Ace Bandage - active bilaterally
ab antibody
AB or abd abdominal
Abb abbreviations
ABC absolute basophil count
abd. abdomen - abduction - abductor
ABE activity before exercise - acute bacterial endocarditis
ABG arterial blood gas
ABN abnormal - active bulimia nervosa - acute bacterial nephritis
ABP arterial blood pressure
abs absent
ABW actual body weight
Ac acute
AC anterior chamber
acc accident
Acc.Inc. accidentally incurred
Acc.Inj. accidental injury
accom. accommodation
ACE angiotensin converting enzyme
ACEI angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
ACh Acetylcholine
AChR Acetylcholine receptor
ACL anterior cruciate ligament
ACM acute cerebrospinal meningitis
ACM or APAP acetaminophen (paracetamol)
ACNP acute care nurse practitioner
ACOP approved code of practice
Acous acoustic
Acr acrylic
ACS acute cervical sprain
Act actinomycin
ACT active motion - anesthesia care team
act activity
Act-C actinomycin C
Act-D actinomycin D
ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone
ACVD acute cardiovascular disease
AD advance directive - Alzheimer's disease - right ear (Lat. auris dexter)
ad lib as desired - at liberty
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADH antidiruetic hormone (vasopressin)
ADHD Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
ADL activities of daily living
ADM acquired dermal melanocytosis - arginine-deficient medium
adm. admission
ADR adverse drug reaction
AE above elbow
AEA above elbow amputation
AF afebrile
AF or Afib atrial fibrillation
AFB acid fast bacilli
AFO ankle-foot orthosis
AFP alpha fetoprotein
AGA appropriate gestational age
AgNO3 silver nitrate
AH abdominal hysterectomy
AHCD acquired hepatocellular degeneration
AHD acquired hepatocerebral degeneration
AHF Argentinian hemorrhagic fever
aI active ingredient
AI Adequate Intake - aortic insufficiency - articulation index
AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AIDS-KS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with Kaposi's sarcoma
AJ ankle jerk
AKA above knee amputation
aka alcoholic ketoacidosis
alb. albumin
alc. alcohol
alkPhos alkaline phosphate
ALL acute lymphocytic/lymphoblastic leukemia
ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
ALT alanine aminotransferase (formerly SGPT) - alternating with
AM before noon (Lat. ante meridiem)
AMA against medical advice
amb. ambulating - ambulatory
AMD age-related macular degeneration
AMI acute myocardial infarction
AML acute myeloid/myeloblastic leukemia
amnio amniocentesis
amp. ampule - amputation
ANA see FANA antinuclear antibody test
anes. anesthesia
ANF antinuclear factor
ann. fib. annulus fibrosis
ANS autonomic nervous system
ant. anterior
ANUG acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
Anxty or ANX anxiety
AO aorta
AOB alcohol on breath
AODM adult onset diabetes mellitus
AP acid phosphatase - active pepsin - ante partum
A-P anteroposterior
AP res. abdominal perineal resection of the rectum
A-P&lat or AP&L anteroposterior and lateral
APC atrial premature contractions
aph aphasia
aq. water
AR active-resistance - aortic regurgitation
ARC AIDS Related Complex
ARD acute respiratory distress
ARDS adult respiratory distress syndrome
ARE active-resistance exercise
ARF acute respiratory failure - acute rheumatic fever
Arg. arginine
AROM active range of motion - artificial rupture of membranes
art arterial - articulation
AS aortic stenosis - left ear (Lat. Auris sinistra)
ASA aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
ASAP as soon as possible
ASC or ATS arteriosclerosis
ASCVD atherosclerotic/arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
ASD atrial septal defect
ASHD arteriosclerotic heart disease
ASO antistreptolysin O
AST aspartate aminotransferase (formerly SGOT) - aspartate transaminase
AT Achilles tendon
at. flut. atrial flutter
ATN acute tubular necrosis
ATNR asymmetrical tonic neck reflex
ATP adenosine triphosphate
ATR Achilles tendon reflex
ATT arginine tolerance test
AU according to custom (Lat. ad usum) - both ears (Lat. auris unitas)
aud. auditory
Aur. Fib auricular fibrillation
AV aortic valve - atrioventricular
AV or AvV atrioventricular valves
AVD aortic valve disease
AVE aortic valve echocardiogram
AVF arteriovenous fistula
AVHS acquired valvular heart syndrome
AVO aortic valve opening
AVp arginine vasopressin
AVR aortic valve replacement
AVS aortic valve stenosis
AVt arginine vasotocin
AW able to work - above waist
Ax. axial - axilla - axillary
AXR abdominal X-ray