Appendix B Common Abbreviations and Lab Values
Nurses are required to review and interpret lab values. Table B1 lists common abbreviations, and Table B2 lists common lab values for nurses to learn.
| Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| cells/mcL or cells/µL | Cells per microliter | mg/dL | Milligrams per deciliter |
| cells/mL | Cells per milliliter (cubic centimeter) | microunits/mL | Microunits per milliliter |
| cm | Centimeter | mL | Milliliter |
| fl oz | Fluid ounce | mL/minute | Milliliters per minute |
| fL | Femtoliter | mm | Millimeter |
| g | Gram | mm3 | Cubic millimeter |
| g/dL | Grams per deciliter | mm Hg | Millimeters of mercury |
| HPF | High-power field | mmol/L | Millimoles per liter |
| IU | International unit | ng/mL | Nanograms per milliliter |
| kg | Kilogram | oz | Ounce |
| L | Liter | pg/mL | Picograms per milliliter |
| lb or # | Pound | Tbsp | Tablespoon |
| mcg/dL or µg/dL | Micrograms per deciliter | tsp | Teaspoon |
| mEq/L | Milliequivalents per liter | units/L | Units per liter |
| mg | Milligram |
Note that the abbreviation for “micro” is sometimes shown as the Greek mu (µ, as in µL); however, that practice is considered to be error prone by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and has been supplanted by “mc,” as in “mcg” for microgram or “mcL” for microliter.
| Arterial Blood Gases | |||||||
| Base excess/base deficit | –2 to +2 mEq/L | HCO3 | 22–26 mEq/L | PaCO2 | 35–45 mm Hg | ||
| PaO2 | 75–100 mm Hg | pH | 7.35–7.45 | SaO2 | 95%–100% | ||
| Serum Blood Tests | |||||||
| Albumin | 3.5–5.5 g/dL | Glucose (fasting) | 70–99 mg/dL | MCV | 80–98 fL | ||
| Alk phos | 30–120 units/L | Glucose tolerance test | (Start) 70–100 mg/dL (1 hour) <180 mg/dL (2 hours) <140 mg/dL |
Monocytes | 4000–11,000 cells/mcL | ||
| ALT | 10–40 units/L | Neutrophils | 2000–8250 cells/mcL | ||||
| Ammonia | 40–70 mcg/dL | Phosphorus | 3.0–4.5 mg/dL | ||||
| Amylase | 3–125 units/L | Platelet count | 150–450 × 109/L | ||||
| AST | 10–40 units/L | HDL | (F) >50 mg/dL (M) >40 mg/dL |
Potassium | 3.5–5.0 mEq/L | ||
| Bicarb (HCO3) | 23–28 mEq/L | Hematocrit | (F) 37%–47% (M) 42%–50% |
Protein | 5.5–9.0 g/dL | ||
| Bilirubin, total | 0.3–1.0 mg/dL | PT PTT |
11–13 seconds 25–35 seconds |
||||
| BNP | 0–100 pg/mL | Hemoglobin | (F) 12–16 g/dL (M) 14–18 g/ dL |
RBC | (F) 4.2–5.4 million/mm3 (M) 4.7–6.1 million/mm3 |
||
| BUN | 8–20 mg/dL | ||||||
| Calcium | 8.6–10.2 mg/ dL | HgbA1c | 4.0%–5.6% | RDW | 9.0%–14.5% | ||
| Chloride | 98–106 mEq/L | INR | 0.8–1.2 seconds | SaO2 | 95%–100% | ||
| Cholesterol | <200 mg/dL | Iron | 50–150 mcg/ dL | Sodium | 136–145 mEq/L | ||
| CK | (F) 30–135 units/L (M) 55–170 units/L |
Lactic acid | (Art) <0.6 mmol/L (Ven) 0.7–1.8 mmol/L |
Triglycerides (fasting) | <150 mg/dL | ||
| CO2 (CMP) | 23–30 mEq/L | LDL | <130 mg/dL | Troponin T | 0–0.01 ng/mL | ||
| Creatinine | (F) 0.5–1.10 mg/dL (M) 0.70–1.30 mg/dL |
Lipase | 10–140 units/L | TSH | 0.4–6 mcg/mL | ||
| D-dimer | <0.5 mcg/mL | Lymphocytes | 20–40 × 109/L | WBC | 5000–10,000/mL | ||
| GFR | ≥90 mL/minute | Magnesium | 1.6–2.6 mEq/L | ||||
| Miscellaneous Tests | |||||||
| Fungal (yeast) culture | Negative | ||||||
| Sputum culture | Negative | ||||||
| Urine Tests | |||||||
| Bacteria | Negative | Color | Yellow–amber | pH | 4.5–8.0 | ||
| Bilirubin | Negative | Glucose | Negative | Protein | ≤150 mg/dL | ||
| Blood | Negative | Ketones | Negative | Specific gravity | 1.002 | ||
| Casts | 0–5 HPF | Leukocytes | Negative | WBC | 0–5 HPF | ||
| Clarity | Clear | Nitrates | Negative | Yeast | Negative | ||
Note: The reference values provided in these tables should be used as guidelines only,as they can vary by testing laboratory, instrument type, and demographics of the healthy client population used for comparison. Always use your facility’s lab value guidelines for interpretation or testing. In the Next Generation NCLEX exams, assessment items that contain a numeric laboratory value will include the corresponding normal reference range. See NCLEX FAQs.