NOTE: These terms are useful when you want to read medical charts in hospitals or nursing homes.
Medical Terminology
| TERM | EXPLANATION |
| AGNOSIA STIMULUS | LOSS OF ABILITY TO INTERPRET SENSORY |
| ANEURYSM | A SAC FORMED BY THE DILATION OF THE WALLS OF AN ARTERY |
| APHASIA | LOSS OF LANGUAGE |
| APRAXIA | LOSS OF MOTOR PLANNING ABILITIES |
| ATHEROSCLEROSIS | FATTY DEPOSITS ON ARTERY WALLS |
| CAROTID ARTERY | MAJOR ARTERY IN THE FRONT OF THE NECK PROVIDING BLOOD TO THE BRAIN |
| DEFICIT | LOSS |
| DYSARTHRIA | DIFFICULTY IN SPEAKING DUE TO LOSS OF MUSCLE FUNCTION IN MUSCLES INVOLVED IN SPEECH |
| HEMIPARESIS | WEAKNESS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY |
| HEMIPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY |
| MONOPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ONE EXTREMITY |
| MOTOR DEFICITS | LOSS OF MUSCLE CONTROL |
| PARAPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF THE LOWER HALF OF THE BODY |
| QUADRIPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ALL FOUR EXTREMITIES |
| SENSORY DEFICITS | LOSS IN ONE OR MORE OF THE VARIOUS SENSES (SIGHT, TOUCH, HEARING, TASTE & SMELL) |
| SPINAL TAP (LUMBAR FLUID PUNCTURE) | REMOVAL OF SMALL AMOUNT OF SPINAL FLUID FOR EXAMINATION |
| STROKE IN EVOLUTION | STROKE OCCURRING SLOWLY WITH DEFICITS |
| THROMBUS | STATIONARY BLOOD CLOT |
Medical Abbreviations
| ABBREVIATION | EXPLANATION |
| A.B.R. | ABSOLUTE BED REST |
| A.C. | BEFORE MEALS |
| ACF | ADULT CARE FACILITY |
| ADL | ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING |
| ALC | ALTERNATIVE LEVEL OF CARE |
| AD LIB | AS DESIRED |
| B.I.D. | TWICE A DAY |
| B.P. | BLOOD PRESSURE |
| C.B.C. | COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT |
| CHHA | CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AGENCY |
| C.N.S. | CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM |
| CPR | CARDIO-PULMONARY RESUSCITATION |
| C.V.A. | CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT (STROKE) |
| CATH | CATHETERIZED |
| DNR | DO NOT RESUSCITATE |
| DRG | DIAGNOSTIC RELATED GROUPING |
| EEG | ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM |
| EKG | ELECTROCARDIOGRAM |
| E.N.T. | EAR, NOSE & THROAT |
| FX | FRACTURE |
| H.S. | BEDTIME |
| Hb or Hgb | HEMOGLOBIN |
| I & O | INTAKE AND OUTPUT |
| I.C.U. | INTENSIVE CARE UNIT |
| I.M. | INTRAMUSCULAR |
| I.V. | INTRAVENOUS |
| LTHHCP | LONG TERM HOME HEALTH CARE PGM |
| N.P.O. | NOTHING BY MOUTH |
| N.V.D. | NAUSEA, VOMITING AND DIARRHEA |
| NG | NASO-GASTRIC FEEDING TUBE |
| OD | DAILY |
| O.D. | RIGHT EYE |
| O.S. | LEFT EYE |
| O.U. | BOTH EYES |
| OOB | OUT OF BED |
| OS | MOUTH |
| OT | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY |
| P.C. | AFTER MEALS |
| P.O. | BY MOUTH |
| P.R.N. | WHENEVER NECESSARY |
| PCA | PERSONAL CARE AIDE |
| PRI | PATIENT REVIEW INSTRUMENT |
| PT | PHYSICAL THERAPY |
| q. | EVERY |
| q.2h | EVERY TWO HOURS |
| q.d. | EVERY DAY |
| q.h. | EVERY HOUR |
| q.i.d. | FOUR TIMES DAILY |
| q.o.d. | EVERY OTHER DAY |
| ROM | RANGE OF MOTION |
| _ C | WITH |
| _ . _ S, S, S, S | WITHOUT |
| S.O.B. | SHORTNESS OF BREATH |
| SNF | SKILLED NURSING FACILITY |
| STAT | AT ONCE |
| T.I.A. | TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK |
| T.I.D. | THREE TIMES A DAY |
| T.P.R. | TEMPERATURE, PULSE, RESPIRATION |
| UR | UTILIZATION REVIEW |
| W.N. | WELL NOURISHED |
| WC | WHEEL CHAIR |