1. PRONUNCIATION OF MEDICAL TERMS

2. MEDICAL WORD PARTS

3. ROOT: basic meaning of a word
cardi –
root for heart
hepat-
root for liver
neur –
root for nerve
nephr –
root for kidney
cyt-
root for cell

4. WORD ROOTS INDICATING COLOR
CYAN/0 - blue
LEUK/O - white
MELAN/O – black
POLI/O - gray
ERYTHRO – red
JAUNE - yellow
ALBIN - white

5. PREFIX: beginning part of a word preceding the word root
Pre - prefix means before
peri- prefix means around
hemi - prefix means half
micro - prefix means small
neo- prefix means new
Often indicating location or time.

6. SUFFIX: word ending that follows the word root and changes its meaning
itis - suffix means inflammation
ology - suffix means the study of
ectomy- suffix means surgical removal
plast- suffix means surgical repair
Often indicating the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease.

7. Why do we learn this???
Test question example: What does pericardiectomy mean?
PERI
(surrounding)
CARDI/O
(heart)
ECTOMY
(surgical removal)
PERICARDIECTOMY
(SURGICAL REMOVAL OF A PORTION OF THE MEMBRANE SURROUNDING THE HEART

8. ABBREVIATIONS Why are they used in the Medical field?
What are some common abbreviations?
Drops
gtts
Eye
Right eye: OD Left eye: OS Both eyes: OU
Ear
Right ear: AD Left ear: AS Both ears: AU
Suppository
supp

9. Vital signs (what are they?)
vs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen
Nausea and vomiting
N/V
With
w/ or c
Every
q or q
Without
s or w/o
After p
By mouth PO
Nothing by mouth
NPO

10. How are numbers written?1 ii 2
iii 3 iv 4 v 5

11. How are Medicines given?
By mouth :
Capsules-
cap
Tablets-
tab
Liquids - teaspoon- tsp
tablespoon- tbsp
ml = milliliter
Under the tongue – sublingual- SL

12. In the muscle- IM
In the vein- IV
Under the skin- SD
In the skin (subcutaneous)- SC

13. TIMES FOR MEDS BID: TID: QID: Q2H: Q4H: Q6H: twice a day 8 am and 8pm
three times a day am, 2pm, 9pm
QID:
four times a day 8am, 1pm, 5pm, 10pm
Q2H:
every 2 hours
Q4H:
every 4 hours
Q6H:
every 6 hours

14. Treatment Tx
Every day qd
As needed, whenever necessary
PRN
Bathroom privileges
BRP
Water
H20
Buttocks
Maximus gluteus
Immediately
STAT

15. Lower jaw
mandible
Hour of sleep HS
Skull
cranium
Dead on arrival
DOA
Complete bed rest
CBR
Force Fluids
FF, FFl

16. Prescription Rx
Diagnosis Dx
History Hx

17. Why do we learn this??? Would you rather write:
Bedrest with bathroom privileges, force fluids every hour, vital signs four times a day. or
BRc BRP, FFl qh, VS qid
Nothing by mouth after eight o’clock in the evening, to the laboratory for a complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, and fasting blood sugar
NPO 8 PM, To Lab for CBC, BUN, and FBS