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Educación Médica Superior
versión impresa ISSN 0864-2141
Educ Med Super v.15 n.1 Ciudad de la Habana ene.-abr. 2001
Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana
Facultad de Ciencias Médicas "Julio Trigo López"
The use of shortening in english for specific purposes. A practical review for nurses
Lic. Vivian Amparo Martínez Sánchez1 y Lic. Beatriz Goenaga Conde2
Summary
Shortening as a word building process has become very productive in present day English. Abbreviations in nursing have also found a way for professional and quick communication. The main goals of this article, based on actual teaching-learning problems, is to provide some practical activities to give the learners opportunities to get acquainted with and practice abbreviations in an effective and communicative way, and to provide a glossary of the most frequently used abbreviations by nurses.
Subject headings: ABBREVIATIONS; COMMUNICATION; NURSES´ INS-TRUCTIONS [PUBLICATION TYPE]
Shortening is considered a very productive word-building process. It is the dropping of the latter part of a word so as to produce a new and shorter word of the same meaning. The strain of modern life is obviously one of the reasons for this development. For example, almost all written material in hospital is written to be read at a glance because consultants read them before they do their rounds, and new nurses to acquaint with their patients. Similarly, the daily ward repots are read by the offgoing nurse in charge to the oncoming staff.1
In English, shortenings may be present in written and spoken forms. Each of them has its own pattern, but as there is a constant exchange between both, it is sometimes difficult to tell whether a given shortening was originated in one or in the other.
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase used for brevity especially in writing in place of the whole. Two possible types of correlation should be noted between the written and spoken forms:
1. If the abbreviation can be read as an ordinary English word, it will be read as one. For example,
UFO - Unidentified Flying Object
Polyps - Polymorphonuclear leuckocytes
MSU - Mid Stream Urine
2. The other group consists of initial abbreviations with alphabetic reading retained. For example,
P.R - pupil reaction
B.P.- blood pressure
P- pulse
The term abbreviation may also be used for a shortened form of a written word or phrase used in a text in place of the whole for brevity. For example,
Cas.- casualty
Elix.- elixir
Caps.- capsule
Not much has been written about abbreviations in English for Foreign Language Teaching and less in English for Specific Purpose (ESP), even though in the practice of nursing, this word-building process has found a field of development. High frequency use of abbreviations like: ADL- Activities of Daily Living
a.c.- (Latin: ante cibum) before meals
b.i.d.- (Latin: bis in die) twice a day
h.s.- (Latin: hora somni) at bed time
n.r.- (Latin: non repitatur) do not repeat
p.c.- (Latin: post cibum) after meals
p.r.n.- (Latin: pro re nata) as needed
q. ____ h. _(Latin: quaque _____ hora) every ____ hours
q.o.d. every other day
t.i.d.- (Latin: ter in die) three times a day
for instance, are not present in any of the syllabus used at present in ESP courses in English subject for nursing learners.2-4
Daily teaching has demonstrated that there is a handicap with the mastery of abbreviations. There is a lack of knowledge, which constitutes a language barrier. One of the problems for learners is that there is no correspondence between the English and the Spanish abbreviations as to initials. Therefore, the learner cannot make a transfer from their mother tongue to the target language. Another problem is that teachers of English tend to concentrate their teaching on oral practice, whereas, writing has turned to be a neglected skill. Therefore, there is no teaching, and there is no practical activity to use abbreviations. Moreover, abbreviations are not an objective in the ESP syllabuses in Schools of Medical Sciences in Cuba, even though there are around fifty in the ESP textbooks used at present.2-4 Consequently, specialists need to study by themselves the majority of abbreviations, in order to be able to use them when working overseas in English speaking communities, because there is no enough bibliography for teachers of ESP to deepen in their use in the field of nursing.
This article sets out to provide practical activities in the teaching-learning process of abbreviations for nursing learners. These practical activities are task focused. They can first be done as a classroom activity and putting them into practice in training-on-the-job activities such as ward rounds, grand rounds, and shift-handover.5
Exercises
Exercise 1
Puzzle
a. Find ten abbreviations
A | B | D | M | H | L | O | P |
N | X | G | C | T | N | D | I |
B | J | I | C | E | D | A | N |
P | K | O | J | V | D | T | W |
Z | U | E | R | N | D | X | D |
D | B | F | L | D | X | Z | S |
O | X | B | J | C | L | A | Q |
A | H | W | F | F | C | T | J |
b. What to they stand for?
Key Answer
Abd - abdomen DAT - diet as tolerated
GI - gastro-intestinal ER - emergency room
H - hour DOA - dead on arrival
BP - blood pressure dsg - dressing
cc - cubic centimeter Dx - diagnosis
Hd - fluid F - Fahrenheit
JUV - jugular vein distention KUB - kidney, ureter, and bladder
Exercise 2
Puzzle
a. Find the abbreviation, which stands for:
morning care patient three times a day
head injuries casualty
Electrocardiogram every other day
bed bath nothing by mouth total nursing care
A | M | P | T | E | A | H | I |
I | L | D | Z | C | B | O | W |
B | B | E | W | K | T | N | C |
G | M | F | F | A | C | T | B |
C | A | S | O | T | E | Z | N |
D | T | G | P | I | D | G | P |
K | X | H | M | D | Z | T | O |
Q | O | D | T | M | X | O | A |
Exercise 3
Choose a or b according to the information given:
1. The doctor said that the foetos was in breech presentation
a. bp b. BP
2. Nurses make emphasis on a careful
a. a.m. care b. AMC
3. The nurse replied that the patient had to be sent to the
a. DR. b. dr.
Exercise 4
Transcribe:
a. Some nursing notes are very brief, like the following example. Can you transcribe them?
Mr. J. Smith N/P # skull R.T.A. admitted via cas. 10: 30 p.m. Unconscious since admission. Head of bed raised. P, BP, PR reordered 1/2 hourly.
b. Some notes are not so brief. Fill in the gaps in these notes, not using abbreviations.
Mr. J. Smith´s diagnosis: fractured skull. Involved in a _________________
The patient was admitted via ________________ at ___________
And has been unconscious since admission. The head of his bed has been raised. His _______________, _______________ and ______________ have ben recorded _________________ since admission.
Key answer
N/P - new patient R.T.A. - road traffic accident
Pt - patient P.R. - pupil reaction
Cas - casualty # - fractured
Exercise 5
a. Abbreviate the underlined terms (teacher writes on board):
- He was brought in with head injuries.
- The doctor ordered an electrocardiogram.
- She was given a stomach washout.
- He was given a bed bath.
- She will need total nursing care.
- We have to get a mid-stream urine sample from John Smith this morning.
Key answer
HI, EKG or ECG, SW, BB, TNC, MSU.
Exercise 6
a. In the following sentences some of the words are abbreviated. Can you guess what they mean?
- The nurse took the patient´s TPR every four hours.
- The doctor did a lumbar puncture and the CSF was clear.
- He was examined PR.
- The patient could not PU and had to be catheterized.
- Don´t give Mrs. Azukeli a drink _ she´s NPO.
- To be D/W doctor Schmidt
Key answer
TPR temperature, pulse and respiration
CSF cerebral spinal fluid
PR pupil reaction
PU passed urine
NPO nothing by mouth
D/W discussed with
Exercise 7
a. Read the following nursing notes and discuss with a partner what they mean. Then write a full version, using complete sentences and no abbreviations.
T.N.C. N.P.U. BP raised. PR unequal 8 p.m. Doctor X informed. Seen by Doctor X 8:30 p.m.. For burr-holes 10 p.m.
Key answer
Total nursing care has been given. The patient has not passed urine since admission. At 8 p.m. his blood pressure was raised and the pupil reaction to light was unequal. Doctor X was informed. The patient was seen by Doctor X at 8.30 p.m. and is to have a burr-hole operation on his skull at 10:00 p.m.
Exersice 8
a. You are the off-going shift nurse. You are to present written shift handover report (use abbreviations when needed). You have only got five minutes to report on three cases.
b. Present the shift handover report to the other nurse who is coming on.
Glossary
Commonly used abbreviations and meanings in nursing.
A
+, & And
a. Before
a.c. before meals
A.M. Morning
aa of each
Abd. Abdomen
abort. Abortion
accomd. Accommodation
ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone
ad lib. as desired
ad. up to
ADH. Antidiuretic hormone
ADL. activities of daily living
alt. dieb. alternate days
Amb ambulatory
Approx. approximately/about
ASA aspirin
Ax. axillary (i.e., axillary temp.)
B
b.i.d two times a day or twice a day
baso. basophile
BCG (vaccine) basille Calmetter Guerin
bili. bilirrubin
bl. cult. blood culture
BM bowel movement
BMR basal metabolic rate
BP blood pressure
br.sound breath sounds
BRP bathroom privileges
BS blood sugar
BSP bronsulphalein
BUN blood urea nitrogen
C
C centrigade (37 °)
c. with
C/o¹ complained of
C+S culture and sensitive
ca cancer
CA. carcinoma or cancer
cat. catheter
CBC complete blood count
cc cubic centimeter (or cm´)
CC. chief complaint
ceph. floc. cephalin flocculation test
cl. chloride
cldy. cloudy
CNS Central Nervous System
CNS Central Nervous System
CO2 Carbon dioxide
cont. continued
CPC Clinicopathological conference
CSF Cerebro spinal fluid
CVA cerebrovascular accident
CVP central venous pressure
chol. cholesterol
chol. est. cholesterol esters
D
D&C dilation & curettage
D/W discussed with
D+C dilation and curettage
DAT diet as tolerated
DC discontinue (i.e., "DC Lasix.")
DC´d discontinued (i.e., "Lasix DC´d.")
decr. diminished or decreased
Derm Dermatology
diag. diagnosis
dil. dilute
disch. discharge
DL danger list
DOA dead on arrival
DPT diphtheria toxoid, pertussis vaccine, tetanus toxoid
dsg. dressing
Dx. diagnosis
E
EBL estimated blood loss
ECG electrocardiogram (EKG may be preferred for legibility)
ECT electroconvulsive
ECHO virus enterocyptopathogenic human orphan viruses
EDC estimated date of confinement
EEG electroencephalogram
elix. elixir
ENT ears, nose & throat or ear, nose & throat
EOM extraocular movement
epith. epithelium or epithelial
ER (ED) emergency room (departament)
EST electroshock therapy
expir. expiration or expiratory
ext. extract
F
# fracture
F. Fahrenheit (98.6 F)
fam.doc. family doctor (no longer accepted)
family phys.
family physician
referring doctor
FBS fasting blood sugar
Fe iron
FETAL POSITION PRESENTATION
LFA (RFA) left frontoanterior (right)
LFP (RFP) left frontoposterior (right)
LFT (RFT) left frontotransverse (right)
LMA (RMA) left mentoanterior (right)
LMP (RMP) left mentoposterior (right)
LMT (RMT) left metrotransverse (right)
LOA left occiput anterior
LOP left occiput posterior
LOT left occiput transverse
LSA (RSA) left sacrum anterior (right)
LSP (RSP) left sacrum posterior (right)
LST (RST) left sacrum transverse (right)
ROA right occiput anterior
ROP right occiput posterior
ROT right occiput transverse
FH family history
Fld fluid
for. body foreign body
fract. fracture
FSH follicle stimulating hormone
G
gal. gallon
GI gastrointestinal
gm or g gram (measurement)
Gml grams per hundred milliliters of serum or blood as
specified
gold.sol. colloidal gold curve
GPR glomerular filtration rate
gr. grain (measurement used in medicine)
Grav.I, Grav. primigravide, secundigravida
II indicating a woman of so many pregnancies.
Gtt drop (measurement used in medicine)
GU genitourinary
Gyn. gynecology
H
H hour
H&H hemoglobin & hematocrit
H.I. head injuries
h.s. hour of sleep, bed time
H.S. at bed time
H/O history of
HAA hepatitis associated antigen
Hct. hematocrit
Hgb hemoglobin
Hi. cal high calory
Hint. Hinton
Hi vit high vitamin
HOB head of bead
hpf. per high powered field (used only in describing urine sediments)
ht height
I
I131 radioactive iodine
I&D incision and drainage (included because of general use)
I&Q intake and output (I&O)
IM intramuscular
incr. increased or increasing
inspr. Inspiration or inspiratory
IPPB intermittent positive pressure breathing
IQ intelligence quotient
Irrig. irrigation
IUD intrauterine device
IV intravenous
IVP intravenous pyelogram
J
JVD jugular vein distention
K
K potassium
Kg kilogram
KJ knee jerk
KUB kidney, ureter, and bladder
L
L or lt. left (sometimes it is light,when describing colors)
I & W living and well
Lab. laboratory
lap. laparotomy
lat. lateral
lb. pound
LBBB left bundle branch block
LDH lactic acid dehydragenase
liq. Liquid
L left
LMP last menstrual period
lot. lotion
LP lumbar puncture
LSD lysergic diethylamide
LUL left upper lobe (lung)
LUQ left upper quadrant
LUQ left upper quadrant (abdomen)
lymphs lymphocytes
LLL left lower lobe (lung)
LLQ left lower quadrant
LLQ left lower quadrant (abdomen)
M
m. minun
M1 mitral first
MCH mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
MCV mean corpuscular volume
Mg. magnesium
mg. % milligrams per hundred milliliters of serum blood
Meq (Meq/1) milliequivalents (per liter)
M. et N. morning and night
Mn. manganese
med. medicine
mixt. mixture
mg. milligram
mid. middle
min. minute
ml. milliliter
mm. millimeter
mod. moderate
mono monocyte
N
Na. sodium
NAD nothing abnormal detected
N+V nausea & vomiting
neg. negative
neuro. Neurology or neurological
no. number
noc. night
noct. nocturnal
non. rep do not repeat
NPN nonprotein nitrogen
NPO nothing by mouth
NS neurosurgery
#, No. number
O
O2 oxygen
o.d. right eye
o.s. left eye
O2 oxygen capacity
O2 sat oxygen saturation
OB/GYN obstetrics & gynecology
obs. Obstetrics or obstetrical
Occ. th. occupational therapy
ol. oil
OO right eye
op. operation
OR. operating room
orth orthopedic
OT old tuberculin
ou. both eyes
oz. ounce
P
p after
p pulse
P phosphorus
P2 pulmonic second heart sound
P32 radioactive phosphorus
Para I, Para II primipara, secundipara (indicating a woman of so many children)
paracent paracentesis
PBI protein boun iodine
p.c. (Latin: post cibum) after meals
PE physical examination
Peds. Pediatrics
PELVIC MEASUREMENTS:
ant. anterior
Post. Sag. D. posterior sagital diameter
A.P.D. anteroposterior diameter
bisp. bispinous or interspinous diameter
DC diagonal conjugate
IT intertuberous
OC obstetrical conjugate
Tans. D. transverse diameter
percuss. & percussion and auscultation. "P &
AUSC. & A "is disparaged)
p.r. per rectum
p.r.n. (Latin: pro re nata) as often as necessary p4 hydrogen ion concentration
per through or by
peri. care perineal care
PERRLA pupils equal, round reactive to light and accommodation
PH Past History
Phys. Th. Physicial Therapy
PI present illness
pk. dissociation constant
PKU phenylkeronuria
PM afternoon, evening (after 12 noon)
PMI point of maximal impulse
po (Latin: per os) by mouth
polyps. polymorphonuclear leucocytes
POMR patient oriented medical record
Pop. smear Papanicolaus smear test
poplit. popliteal
Post op postoperative
Pre op preoperative
prep. prepare for
prn when necessary (total protein is preferred when
prot. protein referring to a clinical determination of the protein of the blood.)
prothr. cont. prothrombin content
prothr. time. prothrombin time
PSP phenosulfonphthallein
psych psychological
PT physical therapy
pt. patient
pulv. powder
PZI protamine zinc insulin
Q
q every
q.s quantity sufficient
q.d. every day
q.h. every hour
q.i.d every other day
q.o.d. every other day
qt. quart
q2h. (Latin: quaque duo hora) every two hours q3h (Latin: quaque tres horas) every three hours
q4h (Latin: quaque quatuor hora) every four hours
q.(4) i.d (Latin: quatuor in die) four times a day
q.n. (Latin: quaque nocte) every night
q.n.s. (Latin: quantume non statis) quantity not sufficient
quant. quantitative or quantity
R
R/ rt. right
r/resp. respiration
RBC red blood cell
rbc. red blood cell
Rh Rhesus blood factor
RLQ right lower quadrant
RLL right lower lobe (lung)
RML right middle lobe (lung)
RRE round, regular and equal
RUL right upper lobe (lung)
RUQ right upper quadrant
RUQ right upper quadrant (abdomen)
Rx. therapy
S
S.O.S (Latin: si opus sit) may be repeated once if urgently required
s.s. enema, soapsuds enema
s without
sang. sanguineous
sat. saturated
sed.rate erythrocyte sedimentation
SGOT serum glutamic pyrubic transaminase
SGPT serum glutamic oxalvacetic transaminase
SH Social History
sig. Label or write on label
SOB short of breath
Sol. solution (s)
ss. one half
sp.gr. specific gravity
S.R. system review
spec. specimen
SQ (SC) subcutaneous
ss one half
Staph staphilococcus
stat (Latin: statim) immediately and once only
stillb stillborn or still birth
strep. streptococcus
STS serologic list for syphilis
Subcut. or subcutaneous
subs.
subling under the tongue, sublingual
Surg, or Surgery or surgical
surg.
SW stomach washout
Sx symptoms
sympat. sympathetic
sympt. Symptom
syr. syrup
T
t.i.d three times a day
tab. tablet
tap. teaspoon
tbc. tuberculosis
tbsp. tablespoon
tint. or tr. tincture
TLC tender loving care
TPR temperature, pulse & respiration
TSH thyroid stimulating hormone
Tx treatment
U
U unit
U/A urine analysis
ung. ointment
URI upper respiratory infection (included because of general use)
Urol. or rural Urology or urological
UTI urinary tract infection
V
vag. vaginal
VC or Vit vital capacity
VD venereal disease
VDRL (test) venereal disease reaearch laboratory test Via by way of
Vit. Vitamin when followed by specific letter, i.e.
Vit. C
vo verbal order
W
w.a. while awake
Wass Wassermman
WBC white blood count
Wbc white blood cell
WD or WN well developed, well nourished
Wt weight
Notes: w/ and w/o are "with" and without" in everyday English. Common people would not recognize c, s.
Resumen
El uso de abreviaturas como proceso de construcción de palabras se ha vuelto muy productivo en el Inglés actual. Las abreviaciones también han encontrado un camino para la comunicación profesional y rápida. Los principales objetivos de este artículo, son proporcionar algunas oportunidades prácticas para brindar a los que aprenden oportunidades de familiarizarse y practicar abreviaturas de una forma eficaz y comunicativa, y proporcionar un glosario de las abreviaturas utilizadas más frecuentemente por las enfermeras.
DeCS: ABREVIATURAS; COMUNICACION; INSTRUCCION PARA ENFERMERAS [TIPO DE PUBLICACION]
Referencias bibliográficas
- Edwards PJ. The register of Hospital English. Int Nurs Rev. 1974;21:37.
- Berman H. Practical medicine. La Habana:Editorial Científico-Técnica, 1988:108 (Edición Revolucionaria).
- _____. Practical surgery. La Habana: Editorial Científico-Técnica, 1988:102. (Edición Revolucionaria).
- Corrales Fuentes J. An internationalist nurse. La Habana:Editorial Pueblo y Educación, 1990:82.
- Mc Lean J. English for nurses. Exercises taken from postgraduate course for teachers of ESP at Centro Nacional de Perfeccionamiento Médico (CENAPEM), La Habana, 1998.
Recibido: 21 de marzo del 2001. Aprobado: 14 de mayo del 2001.
Lic. Vivian Amparo Martínez Sánchez. Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas "Julio Trigo López".