Quick Reference Tables
🩺 Normal Adult Vital Signs
| Parameter | Normal Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 35.5 – 37.5°C | Oral; varies by site |
| Heart Rate | 60 – 100 bpm | Radial or apical |
| Blood Pressure | 100–160 / 60–90 mmHg | Systolic/Diastolic |
| Respiratory Rate | 12 – 20 breaths/min | Count for full 60 sec |
| SpO₂ | 95 – 100% | ≥88% for COPD pts |
| BGL (fasting) | 4.0 – 6.0 mmol/L | 🇦🇺 AU units |
| GCS | 15/15 | Eyes/Verbal/Motor |
🌐 Values based on international consensus; confirm with your facility's policy.
📝 Common Nursing Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PRN | As required (pro re nata) |
| QID | Four times daily |
| TDS | Three times daily |
| BD | Twice daily |
| IDC | Indwelling catheter |
| NGT | Nasogastric tube |
| NBM | Nil by mouth |
| PCA | Patient-controlled analgesia |
| ECG | Electrocardiogram |
| BSL/BGL | Blood sugar/glucose level |
🇦🇺 Verify abbreviations with your specific health facility's approved list.
🧠 Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
| Domain | Response | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Eyes | Spontaneous | 4 |
| To voice | 3 | |
| To pain | 2 | |
| None | 1 | |
| Verbal | Oriented | 5 |
| Confused | 4 | |
| Words only | 3 | |
| Sounds only | 2 | |
| None | 1 | |
| Motor | Obeys commands | 6 |
| Localises pain | 5 | |
| Withdraws | 4 | |
| Flexion | 3 | |
| Extension | 2 | |
| None | 1 |
🌐 Teasdale & Jennett, 1974. Full score = 15. Escalate ≤13.
Lung Pathologies
Note on "PE": PE most commonly refers to Pulmonary Embolism, but may also mean Pleural Effusion. In some American literature it means Pulmonary Oedema, and in maternity/NICU contexts it refers to pre-eclampsia.
| Condition | What is it? | How does it present? | How do we diagnose it? | What do we do to treat it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary Embolism (PE) | Blood clot in the pulmonary arteries of the lungs. Usually from a DVT in the leg — caused by immobility in hospital, hormones, weight, or blood clotting issues. | Chest pain (especially on inspiration), ↓SpO₂, ↑HR & RR, swollen leg | CT Pulmonary Angiogram (CTPA), VQ Scan, D-Dimer blood test. Leg DVT diagnosed by ultrasound. | Anticoagulation — Sub-cut Clexane (1mg/kg BD) then oral NOAC (apixaban/rivaroxaban). If severe (e.g. saddle PE): restricted mobility + heparin infusion. |
| Pleural Effusion (Pl. Eff) | Increased fluid between the pleural sac and lung. Can be due to trauma, lung cancer, or be spontaneous. | Shortness of breath, ↓SpO₂. Can develop slowly over days/weeks — may not be obvious at first. | Chest X-Ray | Depends on size. Sometimes diuretics. Often insertion of chest drain (UWSD or pigtail drain). If significant and persistent: talc pleurodesis or surgery. |
| Pulmonary Oedema (APO) | Build-up of fluid in the lungs (alveoli). Usually due to CCF and fluid overload. Anticipate in patients with cardiomyopathy, valve issues (e.g. MR), HFrEF (EF<60), or renal disease. | Shortness of breath, ↓SpO₂, ↑RR, unable to lie flat, peripheral oedema. Can develop quickly or over several hours. | Increased JVP (distended neck vein), Chest X-Ray | IV diuretics, fluid restriction, therapeutic oxygen, upright patient positioning. Stop any IVT running. If severe: BiPAP / NHFO to help push fluid out. |
📖 Content adapted from: E. Iussa, Clinical Facilitator (Feb 2024). For educational purposes only — always confirm management with your clinical team and relevant guidelines.
Medical Terminology — Prefixes & Suffixes
| Prefix / Suffix | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a- | not, absence of | Avascular |
| -aemia | related to blood | Bacteraemia |
| -algia | pain | Hyperalgia |
| angio- | vessel | Angiogram |
| ante- | before | Antenatal |
| anti- | attacks, treats condition | Antibacterial |
| arthro- | related to a joint | Atherosclerosis |
| -ase | an enzyme | Lipase |
| baro- | pressure | Baroreceptor |
| bi- | two of | Bifurcation |
| brady- | slow | Bradycardia |
| cardio- | related to the heart | Cardioversion |
| -centesis | to puncture | Thoracocentesis |
| cephal- | head | Cephalic |
| contra- | to go against | Contraindicated |
| -cyst | related to the bladder | Cystoscopy |
| -cyt(e,o)- | cell(s) | Cytoplasm |
| dys- | abnormal | Dysuria |
| -ectomy | removal of | Hysterectomy |
| endo- | inside | Endometrium |
| erythr(o)- | red cells | Erythrocyte |
| extra- | outside | Extracellular |
| gastr(o)- | stomach | Gastroparesis |
| gen(esis)- | origin, new | Pathogen |
| gloss- | tongue | Glossitis |
| glyc(o)- | glucose (sugar) | Glycogenesis |
| hem(ato)- | blood | Haematopoiesis |
| hemi- | half | Hemiplegia |
| hepat(o)- | liver | Hepatocyte |
| hyper- | high, elevated | Hyperglycaemia |
| hypo- | low, depressed | Hypoglycaemia |
| intra- | within | Intracellular |
| -itis | inflammation | Appendicitis |
| leuk(o)- | white cells | Leukaemia |
| lip(id,o)- | fat | Lipoprotein |
| lysis- | break up, to destroy | Haemolysis |
| macro- | large | Macrosomia |
| mal- | bad, poor | Malnutrition |
| -mega(y,lo)- | large | Hepatomegaly |
| my(o)- | muscle | Myocyte |
| nephro- | kidney | Nephrectomy |
| -oma | tumour | Adenoma |
| osteo- | bone | Osteoporosis |
| -ostomy | to create an opening | Colostomy |
| -otomy | cut into | Craniotomy |
| -paenia / -penia | deficiency | Lymphopaenia |
| pan- | all, whole | Pansystolic |
| para- | beside | Paranasal |
| peri- | around | Pericardium |
| -phagia | eating | Dysphagia |
| -phasia | speech | Dysphasia |
| -plasty | surgical repair | Rhinoplasty |
| -plegia | paralysis | Paraplegia |
| pneumo- | lung | Pneumonitis |
| poly- | many, much | Polyuria |
| pseudo- | false | Pseudoaneurysm |
| py- | pus | Pyuria |
| -sclerosis | hardening | Atherosclerosis |
| tachy- | fast | Tachycardia |
| thoraco- | chest | Thoracostomy |
| thrombo- | blood clot | Thrombolytic |
| trans- | across or through | Transthoracic |
| -uria | relating to urine | Haematuria |
| vaso- | blood vessel | Vasospasm |
📖 Source: St John WA — stjohnwa.com.au. Adapted for nursing education.
Data & Facts — Top PBS Drugs (2024–25)
Australia's most commonly used Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation PBS (RPBS) drugs in 2024–25, reported by two measures. Data period: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025.
📊 Table 1 — By DDD/1000 Population/Day
| # | Drug | DDD/1000 pop/day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosuvastatin | 90.95 |
| 2 | Atorvastatin | 80.58 |
| 3 | Perindopril | 49.44 |
| 4 | Amlodipine | 46.94 |
| 5 | Candesartan | 33.15 |
| 6 | Sertraline | 31.85 |
| 7 | Telmisartan | 30.51 |
| 8 | Escitalopram | 29.45 |
| 9 | Metformin | 28.11 |
| 10 | Ramipril | 24.10 |
DDD = Defined Daily Dose — measures drug utilisation independent of pack size or price.
📋 Table 2 — By Prescription Count
| # | Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosuvastatin | 16,313,366 |
| 2 | Atorvastatin | 11,319,805 |
| 3 | Pantoprazole | 11,030,917 |
| 4 | Esomeprazole | 7,974,275 |
| 5 | Escitalopram | 6,557,355 |
| 6 | Perindopril | 6,375,761 |
| 7 | Sertraline | 6,245,846 |
| 8 | Metformin | 6,147,265 |
| 9 | Cefalexin | 5,163,370 |
| 10 | Amoxicillin | 4,965,405 |
Prescription counts = total subsidised items dispensed under PBS/RPBS.
📚 Source: Australian Prescriber, Issue 6, December 2025 — "Top 10 drugs 2024–25". NPS MedicineWise / Therapeutic Guidelines. Data covers PBS/RPBS prescriptions dispensed 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025.
Nursing Quick Reference Guide for Australian Students & New Grads
This page provides essential clinical reference information for Australian nursing students and new graduate nurses. Topics include: normal adult vital signs (temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, SpO₂, BGL in mmol/L, GCS), common nursing abbreviations (PRN, QID, TDS, IDC, NGT, NBM), the Glasgow Coma Scale, lung pathologies comparison (pulmonary embolism vs pleural effusion vs pulmonary oedema), medical terminology prefixes and suffixes for nursing, and Australia's top PBS drugs by volume and prescription count for 2024–25. Always verify clinical values against your facility's policy and ACSQHC standards.