| 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 |
| 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 |
Food and Drug Administration |
| FEMA |
Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| H&P |
History and Physical |
| HAI |
Healthcare-Associated Infection |
| 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 |
| LOS |
Length of Stay |
| LPN |
Licensed Practical Nurse |
| LS |
Life Safety |
| LTC |
Long Term Care |
| MD |
Medical Doctor |
| MDS |
Minimum Data Set |
| ME |
Medication Error |
| MR |
Medical Record |
| MS |
Medical Staff |
| NIH |
National Institute of Health |
| ND |
North Dakota |
| NF |
National Formulary |
| NFPA |
National Fire Protection Agency |
| NHSN |
National Healthcare Safety Net |
| NNIS |
National Nosocomial Infections 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 |
| PI |
Process Improvement |
| PPE |
Personal Protective Equipment |
| PT |
Physical Therapy |
| QA |
Quality Assurance |
| QI |
Quality Improvement |
| QIO |
Quality Improvement Organization |
| RAI |
Resident Assessment Instrument |
| RDA |
Recommended Dietary Allowance |
| RHC |
Rural Health Clinic |
| 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 States Pharmacopeia |
| VO |
Verbal Order |
