What it means
A charting phrase for a normal level of consciousness and orientation. Alert means awake and responding. Oriented means the client knows certain facts, and the number after it tells how many: often person, place and time (x3), with situation or event added for x4. "A&O x3" means oriented to three of these.
For the nurse
Ask open questions ("What is your name? Where are we? What year is it?") rather than yes-or-no ones, and compare with the client's usual baseline. Report a new drop in orientation at once, since confusion can be the first sign of low oxygen, infection, low blood glucose or a brain problem.
In a chart
"Client alert and oriented x4, follows commands, speech clear."
At a glance
| Also written | oriented times three, oriented x3, A&O, AOx3 |
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Related terms
delirium
A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.
mental status
A person's state of mind at a given time: how alert they are, what they know and how they think, speak and behave.