Stable
Formal Definition
Hemodynamically and clinically stable: a patient whose vital signs, laboratory values, and clinical condition are unchanged or improving, without signs of acute deterioration.
How It's Used on the Ward
"Patient is stable" or "vitals stable" — one of the most-used and most-abused phrases in medicine. "Stable" is a snapshot, not a prognosis.
Example
""Attending at sign-out: 'Patient in 408 is stable — vitals fine, afebrile, no acute issues overnight.' But stable with a Hgb trending down from 9 to 7.2 over three draws is a very different stable.""
Clinical Context
"Stable" has no universal definition. It means different things at different institutions and in different contexts. Always define: stable compared to what? Vital signs? Trajectory? Symptoms? "Hemodynamically stable" has a more specific meaning — no hypotension, tachycardia, or shock. When in doubt, show the data instead of using the label.