The S/P medical abbreviation means status post, which tells the reader that something has already happened to the patient, most often a surgery or procedure, but also an injury, illness or treatment. A chart line such as s/p appendectomy simply means the person has had their appendix removed.
It is one of the first terms new scribes, nursing students and coders learn, because it shows up in nearly every history and problem list. Patients meet it in visit summaries and surgical follow up notes. Below you will find what it covers, sample lines decoded, and the terms it gets mixed up with.
At a glance
Stands for
Status post, meaning afterWritten as
s/p, S/P, sp, S/pUsed for
Surgeries, procedures, injuries, illnesses, treatmentsWhere you see it
History, problem lists, operative follow up, H&POften paired with
POD, postoperative dayDo not confuse with
What the S/P medical abbreviation means in a chart
Status post works as a time marker. Whatever follows it is in the past, and the patient is now living in the period after it. The writer often adds when it happened, such as s/p CABG two years ago, or how long ago in days for a recent operation.
Because it signals a finished event, s/p helps the reader separate what is ongoing from what was done before. A note that says s/p cholecystectomy tells you the gallbladder is gone, which immediately rules some causes of belly pain in or out.
S/P medical abbreviation surgery examples, decoded
| Chart line | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| s/p R TKA | Has had a right total knee replacement |
| s/p MVC | Has been in a motor vehicle crash |
| s/p fall at home | Fell at home before arriving |
| s/p 3 cycles chemo | Has finished three rounds of chemotherapy |
| s/p lap appy POD 1 | Had a laparoscopic appendix removal; today is the first day after surgery |
The phrase often starts an emergency or admission note, setting the scene in a few words: 45 yo F s/p fall from ladder, complaining of wrist pain.
Status post versus history of
The two overlap but are not identical. S/P points to a specific event or procedure. HX or h/o, history of, usually points to a condition the patient carries now or had before, like h/o asthma or h/o kidney stones.
Problem list: "h/o breast cancer, s/p lumpectomy and radiation." The condition is the history; the treatments are status post. Reading them together shows what was found and what was done about it.
Some writers use the terms loosely, so read the whole entry before deciding what it means.
S/P in medical terminology for students and coders
As an s/p nursing abbreviation, and for scribe students too, it is handy shorthand in the history of present illness and in the assessment. For coding trainees, status post wording can matter, because a past procedure may be reported differently from a current condition. Codes depend on the full documentation, not just the abbreviation.
When charting, give the procedure, the side if relevant and the date or time since. A bare s/p surgery is less helpful than s/p left hip replacement six weeks ago. The chart notes and nursing guide has more shorthand that tends to appear in the same lines.
Is s/p ever unclear?
Safety lists do not single out S/P, and its meaning is very consistent across settings. Mistakes happen mainly when it is joined to other abbreviations the reader does not know, as in s/p AKA, where AKA means above knee amputation in surgery but also known as in everyday writing.
If a status post line in your own record lists a procedure you do not recognize or did not have, mention it to the office so the record can be checked.
Status post simply describes past events in a record. Questions about how a past procedure affects your current care are best taken to your own care team.
Frequently asked questions
What does s/p mean after surgery?
It means status post, so s/p followed by a surgery name says the operation has already been done. Notes often add how many days or years ago.
Is s/p the same as post op?
They are close. Post op refers to the period right after surgery, while status post can describe any past event, including surgeries done years earlier.
What does s/p fall mean?
It means the patient had a fall before being seen. It is common at the start of emergency notes to explain why the person came in.
Can s/p be used for things other than surgery?
Yes. It can follow injuries, illnesses, treatments such as chemotherapy, or events such as a cardiac arrest. The key idea is that the event is in the past.
What does s/p mean in nursing notes?
The meaning is the same as anywhere else: status post. Nurses use it to note recent procedures in handoffs and assessments.