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Survey Preparation Recommendations Abbreviation

Abbreviation Meaning
ABGs Arterial Blood Gases
ACOS American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
ACR American College of Radiology
ADE Adverse Drug Event
ADR Adverse Drug Reaction
AEM Alternative Equipment Maintenance
AIA American Institute of Architects
AMA American Medical Association
ANA American Nurses Association
AORN Association of Operating Room Nurses
APA American Pharmacy Association
APIC Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
ASHP American Society of Healthcare System Pharmacist Foundation
ASPAN Accordance with Acceptable Standards of Care
CAH Critical Access Hospital
CDC Centers for Disease Control
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices
CLIA Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CNS Clinical Nurse Specialist
CNS Central Nervous System
CoP Conditions of Participation
CPOE Computerized Provider Order Entry
CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
CT Computed Tomography
DC Discharge
DNR Do Not Resuscitate
DO Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
DOA Dead on Arrival
DON Director of Nursing
DPOA Durable Power of Attorney
DRI Daily Reference Intake
DSH Distant Site Hospital
DSTE Distant Site Telemedicine Entity
ED Emergency Department
EMS Emergency Medical Services
EMTALA Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
EP Emergency Procedures
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ER Emergency Room
FDA Federal Drug Administration
FDCA Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
H&P History and Physical
HAI Health Care Associated infection
HCW Health Care Worker
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HITECH Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health
IC Infection Control Now called HAI
ICU Intensive Care Unit
IP In-Patient
ISMP Institute for Safe Medication Practices
IV Intravenous
JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association
KCL Potassium Chloride
LOC Level of Consciousness
LOS Length of Stay
LPN Licensed Practical Nurse
LS Life Safety
LTC Long Term Care
MD Medical Doctor
MDRO Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms
MDS Minimum Data Set
ME Medication Error
MR Medical Record
MS Medical Staff
NaCL Sodium Chloride (Salt)
NIH National Institute of Health
ND North Dakota
NF National Formulary
NFPA National Fire Protection Agency
NHSN National Healthcare Safety Net
NNIS National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System
NP Nurse Practitioner
O2 Oxygen
OCR Office of Civil Rights
OP Out-Patient
OPO Organ Procurement Organization
OR Operating Room
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OT Occupational Therapy
PA Physician Assistant
PCA Patient-Controlled Analgesia
PACU Post Anesthesia Care Unit
PFT Pulmonary Function Test
PI Process Improvement
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
PT Physical Therapy
QA Quality Assurance
QI Quality Improvement
QIO Quality Improvement Organization
RAI Resident Assessment Instrument
RBCs Red Blood Cells
RDA Recommended Dietary Allowance
RN Registered Nurse
RT Respiratory Therapy
SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SB Swing Bed
SHEA Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America
SNF Skilled Nursing Facility
SOM State Operations Manual
TB Tuberculosis
TO Telephone Order
TPN Total Parenteral Nutrition
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
USP United State Pharmacopeia
VO Verbal Order