SDU
Medical abbreviation · Hospital
| Stands for | Step-down unit |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
SDU stands for Step-down unit, a hospital abbreviation.
Unit that receives patients "stepping down" from intensive care who still need closer monitoring than a regular ward, or patients admitted directly at that level.
Example: Pt stable overnight, transfer to SDU in AM if no new drips.
Usage notes
Equivalent to progressive or intermediate care in most hospitals. Telemetry is usually standard. Moving patients out of intensive care promptly frees ICU beds, but transfers that come too early can lead to readmission to the ICU.
Related abbreviations
More hospital abbreviations
- QI – Quality improvement
- RACE – Rescue, alarm, contain, extinguish
- RHC – Rural health clinic
- RRT – Rapid response team
- SCN – Special care nursery
- SDS – Safety data sheet
- SICU – Surgical intensive care unit
- SNF – Skilled nursing facility
- SPD – Sterile processing department
- SSI – Surgical site infection
- SW – Social work
- TCU – Transitional care unit
See all 89 hospital abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.