Spell Out Acronyms?

[mycrofft]

As shown by multiple threads and in everyday reading experience, and due to the absence of a central naming authority, we use a hodgepodge of acronyms and casually throw them about like as though they denote "creds" and as if the rest of us all understand them to mean the same thing (collectively and individually). Often I just read on hoping the context will reveal all, while I scratch my head and say "Huh?".

Can people PLEASE follow standard manuscript form to spell out certain acronyms? Not a new rule, but just folks spelling an acronym out the first time it is used in their reply or post, or if it was not used in the original post.
Maybe a list of commonly agreed upon (not mandatory) acronyms can be stickied by the site managers pertaining to the site and made somehow readily available? Examples: OP (original post/original poster), pt (patient), etc.

And a special case: with each private training company, state and EMSA's penchant to invent new types and titles, perhaps someone can make a chart of what the titles mean. (Maybe I'm old and grumpy, but why did EMT-A[mbulance] and EMT-P[aramedic] really need to morph or accrue their cousins, EMT-IV, EMT-I, EMT-B, WEMT, EMT-XYZ?).

 

[bw2529]

What is an EMSA?

Serious question, but also making a point.

 

[Chimpie]

I get what you're saying.

I think we have a post or two with a lot of acronyms. If someone wants to update it or break it down in a certain way I'll be more than happy to make it a sticky.

 

[Sandog]

I get what you're saying.

I think we have a post or two with a lot of acronyms. If someone wants to update it or break it down in a certain way I'll be more than happy to make it a sticky.

How is this to get the ball rolling?

EMS Abbreviations and Acronyms


AED- Automated External Defibrillator
AICD- Automatic Implanted Cardiac Defibrillator
ALS- Advanced Life Support (Paramedic level)
ALTE- Apparent Life Threatening Event
AV- Arterio-Venous (fistula)
BEF- Basic Emergency Facility
BH- Base Hospital
BHO- Base Hospital Order
BHPO- Base Hospital Physician Order
BLS- Basic Life Support (EMT level)
BP- Blood Pressure
BPM- Beats per Minute
BS- Blood Sugar (Blood Glucose)
BSA- Body Surface Area
CaCl2- Calcium Chloride
C/C- Chief complaint
CHF- Congestive Heart Failure
CO- Carbon Monoxide
CO2- Carbon Dioxide
CPAP- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
CPR- Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation
CVA- Cerebrovascular Accident
d/c- Discontinue
dL- Deciliter
D25- 25% Dextrose (diluted D50)
D50- 50% Dextrose
EKG- Electrocardiogram
EpiPen- Brand name for auto-injector containing epinephrine
ET- Endotracheal Tube
ETAD- Esophageal Tracheal Airway Device
ETCO2- End tidal CO2
GM or Gm- Gram
HR- Heart Rate
ICS- Intercostal space
IM- Intramuscular (injection)
IN- Intranasal
IO- Intraosseous line
IV- Intravenous line
IVP- Intravenous Push
J- Joule (s)
Kg- Kilogram
L- Liter
LOC- Level of Consciousness or Loss of Consciousness
mA- milliampere (unit of voltage for external pacemaker)
max- Maximum
mcg- Microgram
MCI- Mass Casualty Incident
MDI- Metered-Dose Inhaler
mEq- Milliequivalent
mg- Milligram
min- Minute
ml- Milliliter(s)
MOI- Mechanism of injury
MPI- Multiple Patient Incident
MR- May repeat
MS- Morphine Sulfate
NaHCO3- Sodium Bicarbonate
NC- Nasal Cannula
NG- Nasogastric (tube)
NPO- Nothing by mouth
NS- Normal Saline (IV solution)
NTG- Nitroglycerin
O2- Oxygen
OD- Overdose
ODT- Oral Dissolving Tablet
OG- Orogastric (tube)
PEA- Pulseless Electrical Activity
PO- Per Os (by mouth)
POLST- Physcian Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
Prn- Pro Re Nata (as often as necessary)
PVC- Premature Ventricular Complex
q- Every
SL- Sublingual
SC- Subcutaneous (injection)
SO- Standing Order
SOB- Shortness of Breath
SVT- Supraventricular Tachycardia
TIA- Transient Ischemic Attack
TKO- To Keep Open (IV) which is approximately 25-30ml/hr
TOP- Topical
VF- Ventricular Fibrillation
VSM- Valsalva Maneuver
VT- Ventricular Tachycardia
Yo- Years Old
?- Possible/questionable/suspected
"- Minutes or Inches
<- Less than
>- Greater than or equal to

 

[mycrofft]

Dang! Someone's company has an acceptable abbreviation list!!
Huge start.
What about different levels or types of EMT, type oif transport ((IFT, "fly care", "tiered response", etc.)
Military abbrev.'s.
British, NZ*, Australia abbrev's?

(*New Zealand)

 

[Veneficus]

This may be one of the largest undertakings ever devised.

Abbreviation are not international.

They are not even interdisciplinary.

(not to mention are getting really out of control)

Several years ago (I think close to 16 or so) there was an effort in medicine to do away with eponyms and use only descriptive terms.

It seems to have created this acronym nonsense.

What's worse is some cretins have abbreviations with eponyms in them. like: HSP (Henoch-Schönlein purpura) aka anaphylactoid purpura, purpura rheumatica, and Schönlein–Henoch purpura.

As a point of writing (which is what this is) and professional, it is generally accepted to write out the full term the first time and abbreviate it later.

There is nothing more aggrivating than trying to read medical papers and have to figure out what somebody is talking about with a non standard acronym.

As for personal preference, if I can't initially figure out what somebody is talking about here. I just skip it.

In the above post, I am very surprised to see ALTE as an official abbreviation in EMS. The only place I have ever seen it before is referring to "pre SIDS" babies in pediatric emergency and pediatrics.

So much so, when I hear it or see it, my mind goes immediately to the presumption of those patients.

 

[Sandog]

Agreed, when I took a journalism class, we were taught to always spell out the phrase first, followed by the acronym in parenthesis. For example Wide full open (WFO). Once defined it is acceptable to use the acronym, such as; He was fast and rode WFO.

Communication is an important skill, and if one wishes to convey an idea they should make a concerted effort in helping the reader understand the idea in which they wish to convey.

A post riddled with acronyms does not impress anyone, rather, a sign of laziness.

Here is an acronym.

AAWDKS Always Assume We Don't Know Sh*T

 

[Chimpie]

Agreed, when I took a journalism class, we were taught to always spell out the phrase first, followed by the acronym in parenthesis.

The Red Cross is filled with acronyms as well. In meetings, DAT, ERV, DA, SAF gets thrown around regularly. New volunteers look puzzled after about five minutes. So in emails we do just like you stated, write it out first with abbreviations in parenthesis, then abbreviate after that.

Disaster Action Team (DAT)

 

[xxTriNakedxx]

My favorite acronym by far is OMGWTF... followed closely by LMFAO.

(It's a joke...)

There's a list of acronyms in the BLS field guide book you can get from bookstores or online. The yellow one. I follow that when doing trip sheets because I can always go back and look if I forget what an acronym means.

 

[mycrofft]

So let's informally adopt "spell it once/first, and try not to use a lot of acronyms".
And tease acronym slingers unmercifully (kidding).

 

[Veneficus]

So let's informally adopt "spell it once/first, and try not to use a lot of acronyms".
And tease acronym slingers unmercifully (kidding).

Outstanding movie, and late actor.

From our earlier discussions died of aortic failure from Marfans if I am not mistaken.