Dictionary

Abbreviations

Abbreviations nurses read and write, with the ones never to use.

ICAn abbreviation with several meanings, such as inspiratory capacity, interstitial cystitis or incident command; the setting shows which.

IDAn abbreviation that can mean intradermal, identification, infectious disease or intellectual disability.

IgAImmunoglobulin A: a kind of antibody found mostly in the body's linings and in saliva, tears and breast milk.

IgDImmunoglobulin D: an antibody found mostly on the surface of B cells, where it helps start an immune response.

IgEImmunoglobulin E: the type of antibody involved in allergic reactions and in fighting parasites.

IgGImmunoglobulin G: the most common type of antibody in the blood, which gives long-lasting protection against germs.

IgMImmunoglobulin M: the antibody the body makes first when it meets a new infection.

IJAn abbreviation for "injection" that ISMP says not to use; in line and procedure notes, IJ also means internal jugular vein.

INA short form for intranasal, meaning given into the nose.

IPFIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a long-term lung disease of unknown cause in which lung tissue becomes thick and scarred.

IPVAn abbreviation with two common meanings: inactivated poliovirus vaccine, or intimate partner violence.

ISBARRIntroduction, Situation, Background, Assessment, Request, Repeat back: a set order for sharing client information.

ITAn abbreviation for intrathecal (into the spinal fluid) that ISMP lists as error-prone, because it is misread.

IUAn abbreviation for international unit, banned by the Joint Commission because it is misread.

IVIntravenous: into a vein, or the tube placed in a vein to give fluids and drugs.

IVPAn abbreviation with more than one meaning, most often IV push or intravenous pyelogram.

IVPBIntravenous piggyback: a small bag of IV medicine given over a short time through a second line joined to the main IV line.

kgKilogram: a metric unit of weight equal to 1,000 grams, or about 2.2 pounds.

LGBTQIA+A short form for sexual and gender minority groups: L lesbian, G gay, B bisexual, T transgender, Q queer or questioning, I intersex, A asexual, + others.

LOCAn abbreviation for level of consciousness, or for loss of consciousness.

MAMedical assistant: a trained worker in clinics and offices who does clinical and office tasks under a provider's direction.

mcgMicrogram: one millionth of a gram, or one thousandth of a milligram.

mEqMilliequivalent: a unit for the amount of an electrolyte, based on its electrical charge.

mgMilligram: one thousandth of a gram.

mg/dLMilligrams per deciliter: a unit that shows how much of a substance is in one tenth of a liter of blood or fluid.

MgSO4The chemical shorthand for magnesium sulfate, banned from medication orders by the Joint Commission.

MHAn abbreviation with more than one meaning, most often mental health or malignant hyperthermia; the setting shows which.

MHCMajor histocompatibility complex: a group of genes that make the markers cells use to show the immune system what is self and what is not.

MIAn abbreviation most often meaning myocardial infarction (heart attack); it can also mean mitral insufficiency or motivational interviewing.

mL/hrMilliliters per hour: the unit for how fast an IV fluid, infusion or tube feeding runs.

mm HgMillimeters of mercury: the unit used to measure blood pressure and the pressure of gases in the blood.

mmolMillimole: a unit for an amount of a substance, often given per liter of blood (mmol/L) in lab results.

mOsmMilliosmole: a unit for the number of dissolved particles in a fluid, used for osmolality.

MRAAn abbreviation with two meanings: magnetic resonance angiography, or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist.

mRNAMessenger RNA: a molecule that carries a gene's instructions from DNA to the parts of the cell that build proteins.

MRSAMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a staph bacterium that many common antibiotics cannot kill.

MSAn abbreviation that can stand for morphine sulfate, magnesium sulfate or multiple sclerosis.

MSO4The shorthand for morphine sulfate, banned from medication orders by the Joint Commission.

MSTMilitary sexual trauma: sexual assault or repeated sexual harassment that happened during military service.

MTXAn abbreviation for methotrexate; ISMP advises writing the full drug name.

MVAMotor vehicle accident: a crash involving a car, truck or other road vehicle.

N95A close-fitting respirator mask that filters at least 95% of tiny particles from the air the wearer breathes.

NADNicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a helper molecule in cell energy; in charting, often "no acute distress".

NADHThe form of NAD that carries electrons and energy from food to the cell's energy-making machinery.

NADPHNicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate: a molecule that carries electrons for chemical reactions in the body's cells.

NCLEXNational Council Licensure Examination: the US and Canadian licensing exams for nurses.

NCLEX-PNThe national licensing exam that practical and vocational nurses (LPNs and LVNs) pass before they can work.

NCLEX-RNThe National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, the exam graduates must pass to be licensed as RNs.

NCSNerve conduction study: a test that measures how fast and how strongly electrical signals travel along a nerve.

NCSBNNational Council of State Boards of Nursing: the US group of nursing boards that writes and runs the NCLEX exams.