Cheat Sheet for New Nurses: Common Nursing Terms You Need to Know

It’s finally time—you’ve landed your first dream nursing job, but now it’s time to learn all the common nursing terms, abbreviations, and phrases that medical professionals use. We understand how daunting it can be at first, being thrown into the deep end with the technical terminology and vocabulary.

That’s why we’ve created a cheat sheet for new nurses—to help guide you through all the tricky language and abbreviations you’ll need on the job. Our cheat sheet can also help any nurses-to-be, even if you’re still studying, like the Carson-Newman online nursing programs, or doing work placements.

Abbreviations, acronyms, and precautions

Understanding medical terminology is essential for healthcare professionals, including nurses and other roles in the same field, to communicate precisely and effectively. This specialized set of vocabulary is usually a mix of phrases, abbreviations, and acronyms.

Before delving into the different terminology, it’s important to distinguish the difference between abbreviations and acronyms—as well as any precautions to prevent miscommunication. 

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases that aim to improve communication effectiveness. For instance, ‘Rx’ in the medical world is an abbreviation for ‘doctor’s prescription’. Writing out ‘Rx’ saves medical professionals time, especially when they have to manage so many patients every day.

Acronyms are similar to abbreviations, serving the same function, but are words created from the initial letters of each major part of a compound term. For example, ‘ICU’ is an acronym for ‘intensive care unit’. Acronyms condense lengthy medical terms, making them easier to understand and faster to communicate.

Minimizing error

Abbreviations and acronyms are essential in the medical world, especially for nurses. However, it’s also important to follow a few steps to minimize any errors and take precautions when you use abbreviations and acronyms.

1. Always verify the meaning of abbreviations and acronyms before you use them, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the term. The meanings of abbreviations and acronyms may differ between regions and settings.

2. Most healthcare facilities should have their own guidelines for approved abbreviations and acronyms.

3. If you ever doubt the use of an abbreviation or acronym, write out the full term to avoid misinterpretation. Similarly, when using any abbreviation, ensure there’s context around it, so it’s easily understandable.

Another precaution you can take to avoid any miscommunications is to familiarize yourself with the Joint Commission’s Official “Do Not Use” List. This list covers all abbreviations, acronyms, symbols, and dose designations that medical professionals should avoid, as they could result in misinterpretation and medication errors.

This “Do Not Use” list also applies to handwritten orders and free-text computer entries. This list was developed following the 2001 Sentinel Event Alert and was formalized later in 2004. This list has quickly become a standard for healthcare professionals and any information management systems in the field.

Common abbreviations and acronyms

Below, we’ve compiled together a list of the most common medical abbreviations and acronyms that you’ll come across in the field—organized by alphabetical order. While this list doesn’t cover everything, it’s a great starting point for any new nurse.