Abbreviations

[HERBIE1]

While I know that our profession LOVES acronyms and abbreviations almost as much as the military, some of these abbreviations are also unique to a particular area, system, or organization. Some are even specific to a certain country, and we certainly do have members from all across the globe. As such, more than a few times I have needed to do a search to define a poster's terms because I am not familiar with the shortcuts being used. Yes, we are all familiar with ACLS, CPR, and KED's, but I have learned that what I know of as the "Recovery Room" is called the Post Anesthesia Recovery Ward (or something similar) elsewhere. Most of the time it's not difficult to figure out, but some are not so easy to decipher.

Suggestion- as with a research paper, for the more obscure terms, could we define or spell out a phrase the first time we use it and then use the acronym, so we are all on the same page?

IE: Advanced Life Support (ALS)....

Think of it like the National Incident Management System courses (NIMS). We have been taught not to use proprietary terms like 10 codes, or official radio signatures when responding to a large scale mutal aid incident to eliminate confusion at the scene. Similar purpose here.

Am I the only one who has a problem with this?

[Kaisu]

I don't see it as a big problem on this forum. If a term and/or acronym is used that I am not familiar with, I just ask. I've learned a lot that way.

[VentMedic]

but I have learned that what I know of as the "Recovery Room" is called the Post Anesthesia Recovery Ward (or something similar) elsewhere. Most of the time it's not difficult to figure out, but some are not so easy to decipher.

I don't believe there is a national standard for what to call an OR and its rooms/suites/pods/nodes or whatever. ORs can be designed differently for different purposes so one label doesn't fit all.

Also, some of the hospital and EMS abbreviations differ and while this is an EMS community, we pretty much understand each other. However, if you say DIB to hospital staff they will probably take that to mean "Dead in Bed" and not Difficulty in Breathing. If that same hospital staff uses the abbreviation SOB to the EMS crew who uses DIB, they may take it to mean Son of a Bitch and will get offended.

On this forum it is fairly easy to just ask if you don't understand.

Edited July 20, 2009 by VentMedic

[Richard B the EMT]

On this forum it is fairly easy to just ask if you don't understand.

As one who was a part of the original poster's Q&A on a term I was unfamiliar with, there have been many times I have asked the same thing of the gang here. We can always do what I just quoted, also.

Many times we hear the sound of a hand palm smacking a forehead, when a simple term is explained. I've done it, and will, most likely, do it again.

[Jeepluv77]

For the record, I've known breathing difficulty to be SOB. DIB is a type of ice cream sold in chunks coated in chocolate, but it's supposed to have an S at the end.

Seriously though, I do understand where you are coming from Herbie. I'll try to keep it in mind as I don't think it's an unreasonable request. However, I also don't see just asking as unreasonable. Little bit of give and take I guess.

[Chief1C]

I think I only use two or three in my way of doing things, and they're just simple things that save space.. C/A/O, S/M/C and S/N/T. Everything else, I write out to avoid confusion. However, somewhere in our protocols (PA) there is a list of approved acronyms. I'm not a fan of them myself, but in training people, they do tend to pave the way to doing things in a proper rhythm.

[Richard B the EMT]

Dibs are a chocolate shell coated ice cream "niblett" confection, which I indulge in every now and again.

It also makes sense as Difficulty In Breathing, which I had not previously heard locally.

As for SOB?

The story goes that the High tension buisinessman complained to his doctor while at the hospital for treatment.

"Doctor, how dare you write that in my chart? I'm now thinking of suing you!"

"Mr. Jones, first of all, you are not supposed to be looking at your charts. Secondly, S O B stands for 'Shortness Of Breath'"!

[VentMedic]

As for SOB?

The story goes that the High tension buisinessman complained to his doctor while at the hospital for treatment.

"Doctor, how dare you write that in my chart? I'm now thinking of suing you!"

"Mr. Jones, first of all, you are not supposed to be looking at your charts. Secondly, S O B stands for 'Shortness Of Breath'"!

There was actually an article published in JEMS several years ago when a couple of EMS chiefs who took offense to SOB when their EMT(P)s always got the giggles when they used the term on the radio. They also called for a change to DIB which is why it is seen in EMS and seldon anywhere elso. To my knowledge there is not a billing code for that in the hospital and the RN/MD will often rewrite for SOB.

In RT and other areas of the hospital, we get a little more descriptive with breathing and will use DOE which is Dyspnea on Exertion which indicates the patient is fine until he/she moves. That does have some weight when it comes to making a definitve diagnosis as well as the codes for billing.

[cosgrojo]

In RT and other areas of the hospital, we get a little more descriptive with breathing and will use DOE which is Dyspnea on Exertion which indicates the patient is fine until he/she moves.

I currently use DIB in my paperwork. I really like this DOE... thank you for mentioning it Vent... I will endeavor to use it the next time it is appropriate... then maybe the RN's will respect me... telling them about my BMW didn't work...

[Lone Star]

In RT and other areas of the hospital, we get a little more descriptive with breathing and will use DOE which is Dyspnea on Exertion which indicates the patient is fine until he/she moves. That does have some weight when it comes to making a definitve diagnosis as well as the codes for billing.

DOE also can be mistaken for Department of Education and Department of Energy...

As far as the whole SOB/DIB thought process, both make sense, but this is why we have such wonderful words as 'dyspnea' and 'apnea'.

I realize that some of the medical words are real 'tongue twisters', but we ARE part of the 'medical community', so therefore in my mind, we have to speak the language......