Medical Terms

[Bobbie]

Medical Abbreviations

It has come to our attention from several emergency
rooms that many EMS narratives have taken a decidedly
creative direction lately. Effective immediately, all
members are to refrain from using slang and
abbreviations to describe patients, such as the
following......

Cardiac patients should not be referred to with MUH
(messed up heart), PBS (pretty bad shape), PCL
(pre-code looking) or HIBGIA (had it before, got it
again).

Stroke patients are NOT "Charlie Carrots." Nor are
rescuers to use CCFCCP (Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs) to
describe their mental state.

Trauma patients are not CATS (cut all to shreds), FDGB
(fall down, go boom), TBC (total body crunch) or
"hamburger helper." Similarly, descriptions of a car
crash do not have to include phrases like "negative
vehicle to vehicle interface" or "terminal deceleration
syndrome."

HAZMAT teams are highly trained professionals, not
"glow worms."

Persons with altered mental states as a result of
drug use are not considered "pharmaceutically gifted."

Gunshot wounds to the head are not "trans-occipital
implants."

The homeless are not "urban outdoorsmen", nor is
endotracheal intubation referred to as a "PVC Challenge."

And finally, do not refer to recently deceased persons
as being "paws up," ART (assuming room temperature), CC
(Cancel Christmas), CTD (circling the drain), or NLPR
(no long playing records).

I know you will all join me in respecting the cultural
diversity of our patients to include their medical
orientations in creating proper, narratives and log
entries.

[Lauren]

I'm crying from laughing so hard - this one is great. You have to believe that abbreviations like this would help ER personnel to relieve stress though. It must be really difficult to see all of that.