Prefix Meaning

1. a-, an- not; without

2. Anti-, contra- against; opposing

3. De- remove; reduce

4. Ab- away from; outside

5. AD- toward; near

6. Circum-, Peri- around; surrounding

7. Dia-, trans- across

8. e-, ec-, ex- out of

9. Ecto-, exo-, extra- outer

10. En-, endo, intra- inside

11. Epi- upon; above

12. Inter- between; among; during

13. Meso- middle

14. Meta- occurring after; behind

15. Para- alongside; together

16. Retro- backward

17. Sub-, infra- under; below

18. Bi- two; twice

19. Hemi-, semi- half

20. Hyper- above; over

21. Hypo- below

22. Macro- large

23. Micro- small

24. Mono-, uni- single

25. Oligo- few, small

26. Pan- all; entire

27. Poly- many

28. Quadr- four

29. Super-, supra- above

30. Tri- three

31. Ultra- Excess; extreme

32. Ante-, pre-, pro- before

33. Brady- slow

34. Tachy- fast; rapid

35. Post- After; behind

36. Re- Back; again

37. Con-, syn-, sym- together; united; similar

38. Dys- abnormal; difficult; bad

39. Eu- true; pure; well

40. Neo- new

Suffix Meaning

Symptomatic suffixes

41. -algia pain

42. -dynia pain

43. -genesis producing; origin of; generation

44. -lysis separation; destruction

45. -megaly enlargement

46. -oid resemblance

47. -penia deficiency

48. -rrhea discharge

49. -spasm contraction

Diagnostic suffixes Meaning

50. -cele Outpouching; bulging

51. -ectasis obstruction

52. -emia blood

53. -iasis abnormal condition; infection

54. -itis inflammation; infection

55. -malacia softening

56. -oma swelling; tumor

57. -osis abnormal condition

58. -phil affinity for; tendency toward; craving for; love

for

59. -philia affinity for; tendency toward; craving for; love

for

60. -ptosis sagging out

61. -rrhage bursting out; lost

62. --rrhagia rupture; profuse fluid discharge.

63. -rrhexis rupture

Operative suffixes Meanings

64. -centesis surgical procedure; puncture

65. -desis binding, surgical fixation

66. -ectomy removal

67. -pexy fixation; suspension; usually surgery

68. -plasty surgical repair; reconstruction

69. -rrhaphy surgical suturing

70. -tomy cutting

71. -stomy creating an opening

72. -tripsy crushing

General suffixes Meanings

73. -gram record; picture

74. -graph record

75. -graphy process of recording

76. -iatrics study of an area

77. -iatry study of an area

78. -logy study of

79. -logist person/specialist in the study of

80. -ist the one who does it

81. -meter measure

82. -metry measure

83. -poiesis formation; production

84. -scope viewing

85. -scopy process of viewing; examining

86. -stasis static

Root Meanings

87. Abdomino abdomen

88. Laparo abdominal wall

89. Acr/ extremities

90. Adeno gland

91. Aero air

92. Angio vessel

93. Vaso vessel

94. Vasculo vessel

95. Carcino cancer

96. Cardio heart

97. Cephalo head

98. Cyano blue

99. Cyto cell

100. Dermo skin

101. Dermato skin

102. Cutaneo skin

103. Dextro right side

104. Erythro red

105. Fibro fiber

106. Gastro stomach

107. Geno related to; born with it

108. Gluco sugar

109. Glucose sugar

110. Glycol sugar alcohol

111. hemo blood

112. Hemato blood

113. Hepato liver

114. Hydro water

115. Leuko white

116. Lipo fat

117. Litho stones

118. Melano darkness; black

119. Morpho shape; form

120. Naso nose

121. Rhino- nose

122. Necro- dead

123. Oro mouth

124. Ortho bone; combining forms

125. Osteo bone

126. Patho disease

127. Pedo child; foot

128. Phobo fear

129. Phono voice; sound

130. Plaso development; formation

131. Podo foot

132. Psycho mind

133. Pyo pus

134. Reno kidney

135. Nephro kidney

136. Sclero hardening

137. Sinistro left; on the left

138. Sono sound

139. Steno narrowing

140. Thermo heat

 141. Toxo poison

142. Toxico poison

143. Tropho nourishment; growth

144. Uro urine

145. Urino urine

Although new guidelines suggest that the use of medical abbreviations be used as little as
possible in order to minimize errors in orders and charting, the student will encounter many
abbreviations in the health care setting. This worksheet is to help you become comfortable with
common abbreviations that are still widely used.

Instructions: Rewrite in your own handwriting the following orders using standard
abbreviations whenever possible.

1. Up in chair three times a day with assistance

↑ chair TID c assist

2. Clear liquid diet today then nothing by mouth after midnight

CLD today then, NPO p MN

3. Ambulate in the hall three times a day for a distance of fifty feet with continuous oxygen per
nasal cannula at three liters per minute
Amb in hall TID 50’ c O2 3L/min NC

4. May be out of bed four times a day and as desired

OOB QID & prn.

5. Check eyes every four hours for equal pupils, round, reaction to light and accommodation.
√ PERRLA q4h

6. Admission laboratory tests to include white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red
blood cell count, blood urea nitrogen, arterial blood gases, urinalysis, culture and sensitivity,
sodium, potassium , blood glucose, calcium, and stool for occult blood.
Admit Labs: WBC, Hgb & Hct, RBC (=CBC), BUN, ABG, UA + C&S, Na, K, glucose,
Ca, & FOBT.
7. Admission diagnosis: Rule out cerebrovascular accident, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease, urinary tract infection, upper respiratory infection,
venereal disease, myocardial infarction, and fever of unknown origin.
Adm Dx: R/O CVA, COPD, ASHD, UTI, URI, VD, MI, & FUO.

8. Check vital signs (temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure) every hour until stable,
then progress to every four hours.
√ VS (T,P,R,B/P) q1h until stable, then progress to q4h

9. Do physical exam and specifically check bowel sounds in right upper quadrant, right lower
quadrant, left upper quadrant, and left lower quadrant. If no bowel sounds auscultated, insert a
nasogastric tube and connect to low intermittent suction immediately.
PE, √ BS RUQ, RLQ, LUQ, LLQ. If no BS, insert NGT to LIWS stat.

10. Keep the patient without food or fluids today. Start clear liquid diet in the morning and
advance to regular diet as tolerated
Keep pt NPO today. CLD (or Clrs) in am & advance to Reg diet as tol

11. Insert Foley catheter imRange mediately. Strict intake and output.
(Insert) F/C STAT (ASAP). Strict I&O.

12. Discharge patient home today. Follow up with cardiologist in one week. Diet: regular with
no added salt.
D/C pt home today. F/U č cardio in i week. Diet: Reg č NAS

Instructions: Rewrite the following physician orders in complete words.

13. Admit to ICU:

Admit to Intensive Care Unit
14. DX: R/O MI, PE, FUO:
Diagnosis: Rule out myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, fever of unknown
origin.
15. EKG
Electrocardiogram
16. CBC ć lytes
Complete Blood Count with electrolytes
17. UA ć C&S
Urinalysis with Culture & Sensitivity
18. Insert F/C if uo <100cc/void
Insert foley catheter if urine output is less than 100cc (mL) per void.
19. ROM BID
 Range of motion twice a day
20. BSC as tol
Bedside Commode as tolerated
21. 1800 cal ADA diet
1800 calorie American Diabetic Association diet.
22. Admit to Tele, VS q1h progress to q4h, I & O, 1500 cal ADA 1 Gm Na diet, ambulate TID,
O2 PRN sat <92% or SOB
Admit to Telemetry, vital signs every hour then progress to every four hours, intake and
output, 1500 calorie American Diabetic Association diet 1 gram of sodium, ambulate
three times a day, oxygen as needed for saturation less than 92% or shortness of breath