Top Nursing Terms and Acronyms Every Nursing Student Needs to Know

If you have ever spent time in the hospital, there’s a strong likelihood that you overheard some nurses talking and realized you did not understand the nursing terms they were using. From acronyms to medical terms, the world is full of nursing jargon that most people do not know. While many of these are things you will learn in nursing school, learning some common phrases and terms will help you look well-prepared as you begin your training. This guide will help you learn some more commonly used terms as you prepare for nursing school.

Top Medical-Related Nursing Terms

Whether you are on-call for the first time or are a seasoned nurse, little would be more embarrassing than having someone state a medical term that you don’t know. The following medical terminology for nurses is worth reviewing, no matter where you are in your professional nursing journey.

In Vitro

In vitro refers to something that takes place in a culture dish or test tube that normally would happen inside a human body. Often, this term is used in the context of in vitro fertilization, which occurs when the egg and sperm unite outside of the body by artificial means instead of inside the body.

Pre-Op

Pre-op is an abbreviation for pre-operation, which is the time before a patient’s surgery. Patients typically meet with their surgeon in a waiting or staging area to discuss their procedure and get instructions from the anesthesiologist. Nurses on the pre-op floor help keep patients comfortable and answer questions while they wait, and they will also get the IV ready and administer any necessary medications.

Post-Op

Post-op is an abbreviation for post-operation or post-operative, and this is what occurs after a surgery or procedure. The post-op floor has many nurses that focus on pain management and monitoring symptoms and vital signs. Whether a patient stays overnight or not, post-op care sets the stage for their ongoing recovery after surgery.

Ambulate

To ambulate means to move from place to place. In the medical world, this refers to whether a patient can move independently. Someone who is wheelchair-bound and has no use of their legs cannot ambulate, while someone may be in need of wheelchair assistance post-surgery but is otherwise ambulatory and can transfer if needed.

Bandemia

This medical condition occurs when someone has too many white blood cells in their bloodstream. The white blood cells come from the bone marrow and help the body fight infection, so bandemia is a strong indicator of inflammation or infection.

Sepsis

Sepsis is a serious medical condition that occurs when the body has an extremely strong response to an infection, putting the patient’s life at risk. Sepsis is a chain reaction that starts in one organ system and spreads to others. If not treated quickly, septic patients can lose appendages or limbs or could even die in less than a day. The CDC warns that the following are symptoms of sepsis:

• Confusion
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• High heart rate
• Extreme pain
• Clammy skin

Nurses who notice this combination of symptoms need to act quickly to preserve the life of the patient.

Ileus

Ileus is a condition that causes a temporary loss of the contractions of the muscles of the intestines. This leads to cramping, constipation, bloating, and vomiting. Sometimes patients will develop this condition after abdominal surgery or if they take medications that interfere with these muscle contractions.

Urinalysis

Medical testing of the urine to detect infection, kidney problems, diabetes, or the presence of drugs is known as urinalysis.

Tourniquet

A tourniquet is a medical device that is wrapped tightly around an appendage to stop blood from flowing to that area for a period of time. This may be done in first aid if someone has a serious wound that puts them at risk of deadly blood loss, but it’s more commonly used to fill the vein when drawing blood.

Specimen

A specimen is a small amount of tissue removed from the body for the lab to examine more closely under a microscope. Specimen collection is a key component of medical diagnosis.

Contusion

A contusion is the medical term for a bruise.

Acute

Acute conditions are severe and sudden and often end after a short period of time, if properly treated.

Zoonotic

Zoonotic refers to a disease or condition that is transmitted from animals to humans.

Top Nursing Acronyms & Initialisms

Understanding what acronyms and initialisms stand for is important when working in the nursing field. This helps you grab the right tools when your supervising physician requests something and also makes it easier to take notes or to read the notes given to you by your colleagues.

NPO

NPO is an initialism for the Latin phrase “nil per os,” which means nothing by mouth. A patient may be NPO in the hours prior to or after surgery while the doctor monitors for signs of complications. Patients being fed through IV or who have swallowing difficulties may also be NPO.

WNL

WNL is an initialism that means “within normal limits.” This note may be added to a patient’s chart if a particular measurement taken by the nurse is found to be within the normal range for a patient of that age or with that medical condition.

OOB

OOB stands for “out of bed” and is used in charting if a patient is not in the bed, and that fact needs to be recorded for the patient’s condition.

PRN

PRN stands for the Latin phrase “pro re nata,” which means that medication is prescribed to be given as needed rather than on a set schedule. This may be used for medications used for symptom management, such as pain medication.

BP

BP is the initialism for blood pressure.

NCLEX

NCLEX is the acronym for the National Council Licensure Examination. The NCLEX-RN is the most common licensing test registered nurses take to practice in the United States

ABC

ABC stands for “airway, breathing, circulation.” This is the order a nurse uses to administer cardiovascular resuscitation.

DNR

DNR stands for “do not resuscitate.” Patients who do not want to undergo CPR (an abbreviation for “cardiopulmonary resuscitation”) if they suffer a fatal event will have DNR listed on their medical records.

ICU

ICU stands for “intensive care unit.” This is the unit in a hospital where patients receive critical medical care due to acute illnesses or severe injuries, including life support services.

PPE

PPE stands for “personal protective equipment,” including gowns, shoe covers, face masks, gloves, shields, and other equipment a nurse or doctor uses to protect themselves and their patients from exposure to germs and pathogens. The level of PPE you will need to wear depends directly on the type of nursing care you are providing and what risks are present for you and your patients.

OR

OR refers to the operating room.

PT

PT typically stands for “physical therapy,” which is a type of exercise routine designed to strengthen a patient after a long illness or an injury.

ER

ER is the initialism for “emergency room.”

Top Nurse-to-Nurse Lingo

When you head into the field to do your clinicals, you will quickly find that nurses have their own lingo they use with one another. Sometimes this is to help keep patients calm, and sometimes it is just a normal part of working in an industry for a long time. If you don’t know the lingo, you can look foolish in front of your colleagues and patients, so here is what you need to know.

Banana Bag

This is the term given to the IV bag of vitamins and minerals that patients receive when they need rehydration. It is also sometimes called a rally pack.

Code Brown

Code Brown is a medical code given to an external emergency that comes into a hospital. If a community has a natural disaster with mass casualties and injuries, the hospital will list a Code Brown for its team.

Code Blue

Code Blue announced in a hospital means an adult is having a life-threatening medical emergency. These are typically instances of cardiac or respiratory arrest, and all available nursing professionals nearby must report.

Sundowning

Sundowning is a term given to a confused state some patients experience in the late afternoon and evening hours. Many times, this is seen in patients with dementia. A sundowning patient may behave with anxiety or aggression.

Frequent Flyer

This is a term given to a patient with at least four admissions in the same 12-month period.

Tachy

Tachy is a slang term for tachycardia, which is an increased heart rate in a patient.

Waste

This term is most often used for left-over narcotics after a patient has been given a dose. Most medical settings have protocols for getting rid of this type of waste. Sometimes, nursing professionals will say, “I need a waste,” when they need someone to oversee the proper handling of these wasted narcotics.

Walkie-Talkie

A walkie-talkie is a patient that does not need a lot of direct nursing care because they can walk, feed, and speak for themselves. Most of the time, these patients will be leaving the hospital soon.

Total

Total is the opposite of a Walkie-Talkie. This is a patient who needs the maximum level of nursing care. A patient in ICU is often a total because they cannot eat, drink, or even breathe on their own.

Ad Lib

A patient with “ad lib” in their chart can do the action “as desired.” This may refer to taking food by mouth or getting out of bed. Patients who are no longer at risk for serious complications but who need just a little more time to recover may be labeled this way.

Hat

A hat is a pan used to collect urine in a hospital that kind of looks like a hat when turned upside down. This sits inside the toilet under the lid, so the patient does not have to try to catch their own urine. Nurses will use the hat to ensure the patient’s fluid output is how it should be after surgery.

STAT

STAT means instantly or immediately. This comes from the Latin word “statim.” A doctor may ask for a tool “STAT” if they need it right away during surgery.

Your Nursing Training with Bryant & Stratton College

Learning nursing lingo is vital before you start working in patient care settings, but this terminology is only part of the process. You also need the right training. Bryant & Stratton College has a number of programs to help nurses achieve their professional goals. If you are just starting out in nursing, consider our Associate of Applied Sciences in Nursing or the Practical Nursing Diploma program. Both will teach you the medical terms and techniques you need to start a nursing career. If you are already working in nursing and want to get your BSN, consider our Bachelor of Science RN to BSN program.  If you are not sure which program will best help you reach your goals, request information to start your plan.