What does PO mean?

What does PO mean?

• A. Per Os (by mouth)
• B. Put to Sleep
• C. Patient
• D. Oxygen Saturation

Answer: (A)

PO stands for Per Os, which is Latin for by mouth. It indicates that a medication should be administered orally, taken by mouth rather than injected or given another way. In veterinary orders you’ll often see something like “PO q12h,” meaning the drug is given by mouth every 12 hours. The other terms aren’t correct because “Put to Sleep” isn’t a standard route or instruction, “Patient” is usually abbreviated Pt, and “Oxygen Saturation” is written as SpO2 (or SaO2), not PO.

PO stands for Per Os, which is Latin for by mouth. It indicates that a medication should be administered orally, taken by mouth rather than injected or given another way. In veterinary orders you’ll often see something like “PO q12h,” meaning the drug is given by mouth every 12 hours. The other terms aren’t correct because “Put to Sleep” isn’t a standard route or instruction, “Patient” is usually abbreviated Pt, and “Oxygen Saturation” is written as SpO2 (or SaO2), not PO.