Obtundation refers to less than full mental capacity in a medical patient, typically as a result of a medical condition or trauma. The root word, obtund, means "dulled or less sharp". When a patient is first assessed, the medic, nurse or physician is checking to see if the person is "A&O times 4", which means alert and oriented with respect to identity, current location, current time and date, and what event led to the necessity for medical treatment. If the patient has any difficulty answering… (More on Obtundation)