What it means
Two letters with several common meanings. In a history or problem list it usually means rheumatoid arthritisROO-muh-toyd ar-THRY-tisA long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.rheumat/o flowing, joint pain-oid likearthr/o joint-itis inflammationFull entry . In heart notes it means the right atrium, the upper right chamber of the heart. Next to an oxygen saturation it means room air, breathing with no added oxygen (as in "SpO2 96% on RA").
For the nurse
Spell out the term when there is any chance of confusion, and ask the writer when a note is unclear.
Related terms
pulse oximetry
A painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.
rheumatoid arthritis
A long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.
FiO2
Fraction of inspired oxygen: the percentage of oxygen in the air a person breathes in.