It was very hard at the beginning in my career as a nurse in UK to understand all the abbreviations used in nursing homes by staff and healthcare professional. That’s why I put together this abbreviation list containing the most used ones. Feel free to send me other abbreviation that you may think of and is used often at your workplace.

A

ACP – Advance Care Plan

ADRT – Advanced Decision to Refuse Treatment, called also Living Will

AF – Atrial Fibrillation

ABX – antibiotics

B

bd – bis die = twice a day

BNF – British National Formulary

BNO – bowels not open

BP – blood pressure

BO – bowels open

C

CA – carcinoma, cancer

CAUTI – Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection

CCF – congestive cardiac failure

CF – cardiac failure

CKD – chronic kidney disease

CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CRF – chronic renal failure

COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CT – computed tomography

CSCI – Continuous SubCutaneous Infusion

CVA – cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

D

DM – diabetes mellitus

DNACPR – do not attend cardiopulmonary resuscitation

DOB – date of birth

DoLs – Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Dr – doctor

DU – duodenal ulcer

DVT – deep venous thrombosis

Dx – diagnosis

E

ECG – electrocardiogram

ENT – ears, nose and throat

EOL – End Of Life

EOLC – End Of Life Care

F

FBC – full blood count

FBS – fasting blood sugar

G

GA – general anaesthesia

GB – gall bladder

GI – gastrointestinal

GP – General Practitioner

GU – gastric ulcer

H

HR – heart rate

HTN – hypertension

I

IBS – irritable bowel syndrome

IDDM – insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

IM – intramuscular

I & O – intake and output

IV – intravenous/ intravenously

L

LFT – liver function test

LPA – Lasting Power of Attorney

M

MI – myocardial infarction

MS – multiple sclerosis

MSU – mid-steam urine specimen

N

NS – nervous system

NSAID – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

NICE – National Institute for Health and care Excellence

O

Obs – observation

OD – once a day

OM – once in the morning

ON – once at night

P

PE – pulmonary embolism

PO – per os = by mouth

PR – per rectum

PRN – pro re nata = whenever necessary

PS – pulmonary stenosis

Q

QDS – quarter die sumendum = to be taken four times a day

R

RA – rheumatoid arthritis

RBC – red blood cell count

RIP – rest in peace

Rx – treatment

S

SC – subcutaneous

SALT – Speech And Language Therapy

T

TB – tuberculosis

TDS – three times a day

TIA – transient ischaemia attack

Tsp – teaspoon

U

UTI – Urinary Tract Infection

V

VF – ventricular fibrillation

Vit – vitamin