EMT Abbreviation/Acronym
ICD (AICD)
(Automatic) Internal Cardiac Defibrillator
qid
4 times a day
AKA
Above the Knee Amputation
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AMI
Acute Myocardial Infarction (sudden occurrence of heart attack)
ARDS
Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
ACLS
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ALS
Advanced Life Support
AMA
Against Medical Advice
ABC
Airway, Breathing, Circulation
AOTB
Alcohol Odor To Breath
ARF
Ambulance Report Form
amp.
Ampule
AP
Anterior Posterior
ASHD
Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease (medical history of hardening of the arteries)
ASAP
As Soon As Possible
ASA
Aspirin
A & B
Assault and Battery
A-Fib or AF
Atrial Fibrillation
A Tach or AT
Atrial Tachycardia
AV
Atrioventricular (node, part of the electrical control system of the heart that coordinates the top of the heart)
AED
Automated External Defibrillator
AAOX [1, 2, OR 3]
Awake (Alert) and Oriented times 1 (person), 2 (person and place), 3 (person, place, and time)
A & O X [1, 2, or 3]
Awake and Oriented times 1 (person), 2 (person and place), 3 (person, place, and time)
BVM
Bag Valve Mask
BOW
Bag of Waters (used to indicate if pregnant females amniotic sac has ruptured or not)
BKA
Below the Knee Amputation
HCO3
Bicarbonate
BP
Blood Pressure
BSI
Body Substance Isolation
BSA
Body Surface Area (used to estimate % of patients burns)
BM
Bowel Movement
BS
Breath Sounds
BBB
Bundle Branch Block
CaCL
Calcium Chloride
Ca
Cancer
CO2
Carbon Dioxide (waste product of cellular metabolism. Our body gets rid of CO2 when we exhale through our lungs)
pCO2
Carbon Dioxide Pressure
CO
Carbon Monoxide (product of incomplete combustion in enclosed and/ or poorly ventilated areas. CO takes the place of oxygen on the hemoglobin. This in turn causes the patient to die from inadequate oxygen for cells and often gives the patient a cherry red color to skin.)
CPA
Cardiopulmonary Arrest (cessation of pulse and breathing)
CPR
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
C˚
Centigrade
CNS
Central Nervous System
CSF
Cerebrospinal Fluid
CVA
Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke or Brain Attack, sudden death of some brain cells due to lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is impaired)
C-section
Cesarean section
CP
Chest Pain or Cerebral Palsy
C/C
Chief Complaint
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (irreversible lung disease which includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic asthma)
CL
Clear
commo.
Communication
CBC
Complete Blood Count
CHB
Complete Heart Block
CAT scan (CT scan)
Computerized Axial Tomography
CHF
Congestive Heart Failure
CABG
Coronary Artery Bypass Graph (open heart surgery to replace blood vessel(s) feeding the heart muscle)
CAD
Coronary Artery Disease (medical history of heart disease)
CCU
Coronary Care Unit
DOA
Dead On Arrival
DVT
Deep Vein Thrombosis
DTs
Delirium Tremens (tremors of shakes because of acute alcohol withdrawals)
D5W
Dextrose 5% in Water
DM
Diabetes Mellitus
Dx
Diagnosis
D & C
Dilatation and Curettage
DPT
Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus vaccine
DNR
Do Not Resuscitate
Dr.
Doctor
DOE
Dyspnea On Exertion (SOB On Exertion)
ENT
Ear Nose Throat
ECG (EKG)
Electrocardiogram (electrical recording of your heart)
EEG
Electroencephalogram (electrical recording of brain waves)
ED
Emergency Department
EMS
Emergency Medical Services
EMSS
Emergency Medical Services System
EMT
Emergency Medical Technician
ER
Emergency Room
ET, ETT
Endotracheal Tube (breathing tube the MICT inserts into patient's trachea)
Epi
Epinephrine
EOA
Esophageal Obturator Airway
EBL
Estimated Blood Loss
EDC
Estimated Date of Confinement
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
ETOH
Ethyl Alcohol
EPS
Extrapyramidal Symptoms
F˚
Fahrenheit
Ft.
Feet
FHT
Fetal Heart Tones (heart rate of unborn baby)
FUO
Fever of Unknown Origin
GB
Gallbladder
GI
Gastrointestinal (e.g. GI Bleed)
GU
Genitourinary (refers to the organs of reproduction & urinary system)
GCS
Glasgow Coma Scale (a scale to measure CNS (Central Nervous System) function)
GSW
Gun Shot Wound
GYN
Gynecology (study of diseases particular to woman)
HCFD
Hawaii County Fire Department
HAZMAT
Hazardous Materials
HA
Headache
Hb, hgb
Hemoglobin (part of the red blood cells which carry oxygen)
HBP
High Blood Pressure
HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (causes AIDS)
HCTZ
Hydrochlorothiazide
HTN
Hypertension (medical term for high blood pressure)
ICS
Incident Command System
ICU
Intensive Care Unit
IPPB
Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing
ICB
Intracranial Bleed
ICP
Intracranial Pressure (pressure within the skull)
IM
Intramuscular (medication administered into the muscle)
IO
Intraosseous (medication route through the bone for very young pediatric patients)
IV
Intravenous (medication or fluid route through the veins)
IVP
Intravenous Push
JVD
Jugular Venous Distention (distended external jugular vein)
KVO
Keep Vein Open (e.g. run the IV at KVO rate)
Lac.
Laceration (jagged wound edges)
LBBB
Left Bundle Branch Block
lido.
Lidocaine (prescription drug may treat AMI, V-Tach)
M.D.
Medical Doctor
Hg
Mercury
mid.
Middle
MAST
Military (medical) Anti-Shock Trousers
MICT
Mobile Intensive Care Technician
MS
Morphine Sulfate or Multiple Sclerosis
MVC
Motor Vehicle Collision
MI
Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
NC
Nasal Cannula
NG tube
Nasogastric (tube inserted via the nose into the stomach)
NPA
Nasopharyngeal Airway
NTG
Nitroglycerine (medication to dilate blood vessels of the heart in hopes of relieving the chest pain)
NS
Normal Saline (e.g. 1 liter NS @ 30 gtts/min)
OB (OB/GYN)
Obstetrics (branch of study on pregnancy/ delivery)
OPA
Oropharyngeal Airway
O2
Oxygen
PAT
Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia
PND
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea (sudden onset of difficulty in breathing after going to sleep)
PSVT
Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (a sudden occurrence or intensification of SVT, condition presenting as a rapid heart rhythm originating at or above the AV node)
PID
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (sexually transmitted disease which has spread to pelvic area of the female)
PASG
Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment
PEEP
Positive End Expiratory Pressure (the pressure in the lungs (alveolar pressure) above atmospheric pressure (the pressure outside of the body) that exists at the end of expiration)
PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
K+
Potassium
PJC
Premature Junctional Contraction
PVC
Premature Ventricular Contraction
RBBB
Right Bundle Branch Block
Sz
Seizure
SA
Sinoatrial (Node, pacemaker of the heart, generates impulses that cause the atria to contract)
sm.
Small
Na+
Sodium
NaHCO3
Sodium Bicarbonate
NaCl
Sodium Chloride
SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant & not explained by autopsy)
tab.
Tablet
T1-T12
Thoracic vertebrae 1 to 12
TIA
Transient Ischemic Attack (stroke sx caused by brain tissue ischemia that completely resolves within 24 hours; although brief, they are an ominous sign of a full blown CVA)
TB
Tuberculosis (infectious disease primarily affecting the lung caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria)
URI
Upper Respiratory Infection
UTI
Urinary Tract Infection
VD
Venereal Disease (also known as STD)
VF, V-fib
Ventricular Fibrillation (chaotic electrical EKG rhythm and quivering heart muscle which is a major cause of sudden death in the pre-hospital environment)
V-Tach, VT
Ventricular Tachycardia
abd
abdomen
¯p
after
p.m.
afternoon
prn
as needed (e.g. take the pain med every 6 hours prn)
bpm
beats per minute
ā
before
bilat
bilateral
o.u.
both eye's
po
by mouth
cm
centimeter
c-collar
cervical collar
C1 to C7
cervical vertebrae 1 to 7
c/o
complains of
cc
cubic centimeter
DC
discontinue
gtt/gtts
drop/ drops (e.g. run IV fluid at 30 gtts/min)
q
every
q2h
every 2 hours
qh
every hour
e.g.
for example
fx
fracture
gal.
gallon
gm
gram
g3, p2
gravida 3 (3 pregnancies), para 2 (2 live births)
g1, or g2, etc
gravida {1,2, or etc. for number of pregnancies}
HR
heart rate
Hx
history
H & P
history and physical
H/O
history of
hr
hour
ID
identification
stat
immediately
in.
inch
kg
kilogram
lg
large
LMP
last menstrual period (we want to know when a female with abd pain knows when her last bleeding cycle was and if it was on its regular cycle and if it was normal)
lat.
lateral (side)
lt
left
o.s.
left eye
LLL
left lower lobe (referring to location in lung)
LLQ
left lower quadrant (referring to location in abdomen)
LUL
left upper lobe
LUQ
left upper quadrant
LOC
level of consciousness or loss of consciousness (depends on context)
L
liter
LPM
liters per minute
L/m (LPM)
litters per minute (e.g. administer the oxygen @ 4L/m)
L1-L5
lumbar vertebrae 1 to 5
max.
maximum
MAP
mean arterial pressure
m
meter
mcg
microgram
mEq.
milliequivalent
mg
milligram
mg%
milligram percent (blood sugar level reading recorded as this, e.g. 100 mg%)
ml
millileter
mm
millimeter (e.g. pupils are equal/reactive to light @ 3 mm)
mm Hg
millimeter of mercury (how BP reading is measured)
min.
minute
MCL
modified chest lead
mo (s)
month (s)
a.m.
morning
MAEW
moves all extremities well
N/V
nausea and vomiting
N/V/D
nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
neg
negative
NAD
no apparent distress
NKDA
no known drug allergies
Ø
none, negative, without
NSR
normal sinus rhythm (normal EKG complex and HR)
N/A
not applicable
N/D
not done
NPO
nothing by mouth
no.
number
para (p-#)
number of live births (in conjunction with gravid)
qd
once every day
OR
operating room
oz
ounce
OD
overdose
pO2
oxygen pressure or tension
palp
palpation
PMH
past medical history
pt.
patient
pr
per rectum
POV
persons own vehicle (e.g. patient will go via POV)
P.E.
physical exam or Pulmonary Embolus (depends on context)
post-op
post-operative
lb
pound
psi
pounds per square inch
Rx
prescription
PTA
prior to arrival
PMD
private medical doctor
P
pulse
PEA
pulseless electrical activity
PERL (PEARL)
pupils equal and reactive to light
qt.
quart
ROM
range of motion
RF
refused treatment
resp
respirations
RR
respiratory rate
Rt
right
o.d.
right eye
RLL
right lower lobe
RLQ
right lower quadrant
RML
right middle lobe
RUL
right upper lobe
RUQ
right upper quadrant
R/O
rule out
SC
scene or subcutaneous
sec(s)
second (s)
SOB
shortness of breath
S/Sx
signs and symptoms
S.O.
standing orders
sq
subcutaneous (beneath the layers of the skin)
sl
sublingual (under the tongue)
Tbsp
tablespoon
tsp
teaspoon
Temp
temperature
tid
three times a day
TKO
to keep open (e.g. run the IV at TKO rate which is usually about 20-30 gtts/min with a minidrip IV tubing that delivers 60 gtts/cc)
t-port
transport
Tx
treatment
b.i.d.
twice a day
u
unit
v.s.
vital signs
Vol.
volume
H2O
water
w/s
watt-second (energy level set for defibrillating the heart in hopes of getting the normal pacemaker of the heart to regain control)
wt.
weight
WBC
white blood count
¯c
with
WNL
within normal limits
¯s
without
yr.
year
y.o.
year old