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Assessment Mnemonics
     Cardiac Ascultation
     Neurologic
    Pulmonary Ascultation
Diagnostic Mnemonics
     Cancer
    Mentation
    Neurologic
Treatment Mnemonics
    ACLS
    Admitting Orders
    Iron Replacement Therapy
    Musculoskeletal
Links to Mnemonics
Credits

Assessment Mnemonics

Cardiac Ascultation

Aortic Pulmonic Erb's Tricuspid Mitral

All Physicans Earn Too Much

Ape to Man

Aortic Pulmonic Tricuspid Mitral

All Physicans Take Money

Common Systolic Murmurs

MR PASS, MVP ¹ (Mitral regurg, physiologic, aortic stenosis, systolic, mitral valve prolapse)

Common Diastolic Murmurs

MS ARD ¹ (Mitral stenosis, aortic regurg, diastolic)

Physiologic S₂ Heart Sound

A physiologic S₂ heart sound split INcreases in INspiration. ¹

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Neurologic

Argyll-Robertson Pupil (ARP)

Accommodation Reflex present, Pupillary reflex absent

Syphilitic pupil (AKA "Prostitute's pupil" - Accommodates, but doesn't react )

Cranial Nerves

I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X	XI	XII
Olfactory	Optic	Oculomotor	Trochlear	Trigeminal	Abducens	Facial	Acoustic	Glossopharyngeal	Vagus	Spinal Accessory	Hypoglosseal
Oh	Oh	Oh	To	Touch	And	Feel	A	Great	Vein	Ah	Heaven!
On	Old	Olympus'	Towering	Tops	A	Finn	And	German	Viewed	Some	Hops!
Old Factories	Open	Only	Trying	To	Abduct	Foreigners	Vying	Gladly	Very	Accessible	Higher Wages
To remember what cranial nerve is Motor, Sensory, or Both use these.
Some	Say	Marry	Money,	But	My	Brother	Says	Big	Bras	Matter	Most.
Some	Say	Marilyn	Monroe	But	My	Brother	Says	Bridget	Bardot	Mmm,	Mmm!
Some	Say	Marry	Mary	But	My	Brother	Says	Bad	Business,	Marry	Money.

Cranial Nerve I (Olfactory) vs. Cranial Nerve II (Optic)

You have I nose. You have II eyes.

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Pulmonary Ascultation

Vocal Fremitus

Vocal fremitus INcreases with INcreased tissue density. ¹

Diagnostic Mnemonics

Cancer

Signs and symptoms that may be associated with child cancer.

Continued, unexplained weight loss

Headaches, often with vomiting, at night or early morning

Increased swelling or persistent pain in bones, joints, back or legs

Lump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis or armpits

Development of excessive bruising, bleeding or rash

Constant infections

A whitish color behind the pupil

Nausea which persists or vomiting without nausea

Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness

Eye or vision changes that occur suddenly or persist

Recurrent fevers of unknown origin

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Mentation

Causes of Deliriums

Drugs (digoxin, theophylline, cimetidine, anticholinergics)

Emotional (agitated depression, mania)

Low PO₂ (myocardial infarction, CVA, anemia, pulmonary embolus)

Infections

Retention of urine or feces

Ictal and postical states

Undernutrition, dehydration, electrolyte disorders

Metabolic (thyroid disorders, Addison's disease, vitamin B₁₂ deficiency)

Subdural hematomas

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Neurologic

Aphasia

"Broken aphasia" (Broca's aphasia-broken speech)

"Wordys aphasia" (Wernicke's aphasia- wordy, but making no sense)

Cerebellar lesions lead to VANISHeD

Vertigo, Ataxia, Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Slurred speech, Hypotonic reflexes, Dysdiadochokinesia.

Treatment Mnemonics

ACLS

VF/pulseless VT

Shock (defib 200J), Shock (defib 200-300J), Shock (defib 360J), Everybody (epinephrine 1mg), Shock (defib 360J), Little (lidocaine 1.5mg/kg), Shock (defib 360J), Big (bretylium 5mg/kg), Shock (defib 360J), Mama (MgSO4 1-2g), Shock (defib 360J), Papa (procainamide 30mg/min), Shock (defib 360J), Arm & Hammer (sodium bicarb 1mEq/kg), Shock (defib 360J).

V Tach with Pulse

If pulse and awake, (not unstable) drugs they must take. Let (lidocaine) Pulse (procainamide) Be (bretylium). If pulse and a nap, (unstable) zap, zap, zap, zap. (synchronized cardioversion)

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) previously known as Electromechanical Dissociation (EMD), hence the mnemonic.

E (epinephrine 1mg), M (memorize), D (differential)

Asystole

Eat (epinephrine 1mg), Apples (atropine 1mg), Please (transcutaneous pacer) or Please Eat Apples

Bradycardia

Atropine (atropine .5-1.0mg), then a pace machine (TCPacer). Don't (Dopamine 5-20 mcg/kg) Eat (epinephrine 2-10 mcg/min) Ice-cream (Isoproterenol).

For remembering the ACLS drugs and the order given in Pulseless V Tach V Fib

Elvis (epinephrine) Loved (lidocaine) Big (bretyllium) Mama (magnesium sulfate) Presley (procainamide).³

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Admitting Orders

The "5 D's"

Admit to:

1. Diagnosis & Condition:

2. Diet (Activity restrictions if necessary):

3. Directives (Intake & Output, Weight, Vital signs, Blood glucose checks):

4. Diagnostics (Labs, X-rays, EKG, etc)

5. Drugs (Medications oral, IV, IM, etc)

BIMOXLS

Bowel, bath, bed

I & O, IV, fluid

Medications ordered by problem

Observations

X-rays

Labs

Special tests (like a CEA level)

A Daffy Colleague Very Astutely Asserts: Nincompoop Doctors Invite Many Laughs. ²
ADorable DIane COntrolled VIcious ACcusations ALleging NUptial DIscord INvolving MErry LAdies. ²

Admit to:

Diagnosis

Condition

Vitals

Activities

Allergies

Nursing Orders

Diet

Intravenous

Medications

Labs & other tests

ABC David

Admit to Clinician _______________, floor if you know it

Because (Diagnosis)

Condition

Diet

Activities

Vitals

Iv's

Drugs, etc

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Iron Replacement Therapy

To help remember which iron compound is best tolerated by the gut.

Ferrous sulfate is strong, while ferrous gluconate is great.

Ferrous sulfate = strong. Ferrous gluconate = gastric.

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Musculoskeletal

Pressure, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Support.

PRICES

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

RICE

Links to Mnemonics

Emergency Medicine Mnemonics VUMC's List of Interesting Emergency Medicine Mnemonics
Nutrition Checklist for Older Adults the "DETERMINE" Mnemonic
Urinary Incontinence Treatable Causes the "DIAPPERS" Mnemonic
MD4sure.com - Medical Mnemonics

Credits

1. Authored by Margaret A. Fitzgerald, MS, RN, CS-FNP
2. Created by Bob McCarthy in a discussion on NP-clinical, September 1998. He attached this to his work: Disclaimer: according to my lawyer, the reference to Doctors a) does not intend to imply that any doctors are Nincompoops but simply a legitimate use of poetic license; b) that any reference to any Doctor, living or dead, is purely coincidental; and c) is protected under the 1st Amendment, i.e. freedom of speech.
3. Authored by Robin Bates, R.N.,S.R.N.A. of the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kas Healy, MSN, FNP for sharing her rather large collection of mnemonics.
The members of NP-clinical for their discussions, submissions and encouragement.