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I've finally had a chance to update this. It doesn't include all of the

input I've received, but most of it. Some is on another system.

 

1SG First Sargent ? ( I was not a MP but I have been a 1SG, ...)

AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

AAA American Ambulance Association

AAMS Association of Air Medical Services (US)

AAOS American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

AAOx3 Awake, Alert, Oriented x 3 [person/place/time]

AAP American Academy of Pediatrics

AAT Australian Antarctic Teritory

AB ABortion

AB Alberta (province) (Canada)

ABEM American Board of Emergency Medicine

ABGs Arterial Blood Gases

ABLS Advanced Burn Life Support

ABP Always ? Precautions (possibly ? Bloodborne Pathogens)

AC AnteCubital vein or fossa (IV)

AC Anterior Cephalic vein

ACD Active Compression-Decompression (CPR)

ACEP American College of Emergency Physicians

ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support

ACO Alert Conscious Oriented?

ACOEP American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians

ACPM American College of Prehospital Medicine.

ACRONYM A Contrived Reduction Of Nouns, Yielding Mnemonics

ACS-COT American College of Surgeons - Committee on Trauma

ACT Australian Capital Territory

ACTES Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service (Australia)

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

ADN ? one year of an ADN program (core curriculum only)

ADSU Automatic Distress Signal Unit

A&E Accident and Emergency

A&E Arts and Entertainment (US TV channel)

AEA Ambulance Emergency Assistant (South Africa, after 1991)

AED AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR , reference AHA Adavanced Cardiac Life

AELS Advanced Endocrinological Life Support

AEP ?

AFA Advanced First Aid

AFA Automatic Fire Alarm (or Automatic False Alarm)

AFEM the Alliance for Fire and Emergency Management

AFRCC Airforce Rescue Coordination Center

AFRS Aviation Fire and Rescue Service ( com )

AHA American Hospital Association (?)

AICD Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillator

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AIQ Available In Quarters

AIS Accident Investigation Section (VICPOL) (Australia)

AIS Associazione Italiana Soccorritori (Italian Rescuers Association)

ALI Automatic Location Identification/Address Location Identification (911)

ALS Advanced Life Support

ALSOB Alcohol Like Substance On Breath

AMA Against Medical Advice

AMA Ambulance Medical Assistant (South Africa, before 1991, = EMT-I)

Ambo Ambulance Officer (Australia)

AMI Acute Myocardial Infarction

AMPA Air Medical Physician Association (US)

AMR American Medical Response (private but large operator of EMS)

AMTRAK ? US railway company/agency. Is it an acronym?

ANI ? (also used to denote radio unit number identifiers.)

ANI Automatic Number Identification (telephony/911)

ANLS Advanced Neurological Life Support

ANP Advanced Nurse Practictioner

ANPAS Associazione Nazionale Pubbliche Assistenze (National Ambulance Companies Association) (Italy)

A/O Alert and Oriented

A/O Ambulance Officer

AO Ambulance Officer

AO Apparatus Operator

AOA American Osteopathic Association

AOB Alcohol On Breath

AOPPT Alert Oriented ?

AOR Available On Radio

AOS Arrived On Scene

A&Ox4 Alert & Oriented to (person/place/time-date/condition-circumstance)

APCO Associated Public-safety Communications Officers

APE Acute Pulmonary Edema

APE Acute Pulmonary Embolism

APE Apparatus, Personnel, and Equipment

APPA Alberta Prehospital Professions Association

ARC American Red Cross

ARC Australian Resuscitation Council

ARCHIE Automated Resouce for Chemical Hazard Incident Evaluation

ARCS Australian Red Cross Society

ARDA American Rescue Dog Association

ARDS Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ? ARDS ... DaNang or shock lung

ARES Amateur Radio Emergency Service

ARFD Airport Rescue Fire Depts.

ARFF Airport Rescue Fire Fighters/Firefighting

AS American Samoa (US)

as Auricle Sinistrus (Left Ear)

ASE ? like ASE for auto mechanic's.

ASHD Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease

ASRT Alarm System Response Team

ASTM American Society for Testing & Materials

ASV Ambulance Service Victoria (Australia)

ATC Air Traffic Control

ATF Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (US Government)

ATLS Advanced Trauma Life Support

ATS American Trauma Society

au Right Ear

AV Atrial Ventricular ? ... EKG showed 3rd degree AV block

AVL Automatic Vehicle Locator

BA Breathing Apparatus

BAC Basic Ambulance Course (South Africa, level 4 = EMT-A)

BAC Blood Alcohol Content

BAEMT British Association of EMTs (formerly Paramedic UK)

BASIC Bleeding, Airway, Shock, Immoblization after classification

BATF Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (US Government)

BBP Blood-Borne Pathogen

BBS Bulletin Board System

BC British Columbia (province) (Canada)

BCAS British Columbia Ambulance Service

BCLS Basic Cardiac Life Support

BD BenzoDiazepine

BERT Bicycle Emergency Response Team

BEST Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications (Victoria Australia)

BFB Bush Fire Brigade (Australia)

BFBB Bush Fire Brigade Board (Western Australia)

BFRL Building and Fire Research Laboratory

BID Twice Daily (as in meds)

BiPAP BILEVEL or BIPHASIC positive airway pressure ... "BiPAP" is a tradename

BIQ Back in Quarters

BLEVE Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion

BLM Bureau of Land Management (US)

BLS Basic Life Support

BLS Bureau of Labor Standards (Maine and others)

BNAS Bell Neutral Answer Service (911 Ontario)

BNTI Blind NasoTracheal Intubation

B/P Blood Pressure

BP Blood Pressure

BRT Big Red Trucks

BS Bachelor of Science (has other meanings...)

BSI ? ... wear BSI. I wear gloves and protective

BSI ? I was an EMT instructor (PWI and BSI,back when they had those things)

BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing

BTLS Basic Trauma Life Support

BTW By The Way (INTERNET)

Bushie Member of Bush Fire Brigade (Australia)

BVM Bag Valve Mask (Ambu Bag (tm))

BZD BenZoDiazepine

CA California (US state)

CA Canada

CA Cancer

CAAMS Commission on the Acreditation of Air Medical Services (US)

CAAS Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (US)

CABA Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus

CABG Coronary Arterial Bypass Graft

CAD Computer Aided Dispatch

CAD Coronary Artery Disease

CAEMS California Emergency Medical Services Mail List (Internet)

CAFS ? ... class A foam (especially CAFS) and other

CAMEO Computer Assisted Management of Emergency Operations

CAOx4 Conscious, Alert, and Oriented x4

CAP Civil Air Patrol

CAS Chemical Abstracts - usually CAS number (Hazmat)

CAS Children's Aid Society (Ontario, Canada)

CAT Computer Aided/Axial Tomography ?

CB Citizen's Band, 27 MHz radio (US)

CBC ? Blood Count

CC Chief Complaint

CCA Critical Care Assistant (Level 7 - Paramedic)

CCP Casualty Collection Points

CCRN Critical Care Registered Nurse

CCU Cardiac Care Unit

CCU Critical Care Unit

CDA Communications Decency Act (US)

CDC Centers for Disease Control (US government)

CDF California Department of Forestry

CEM Certified Emergency Manager

CEN Certified Emergency Nurse

CERB Central Emergency Reporting Bureau (911)

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liablity Act (US) (hazmat

CET Certified Engineering Technician

CEU Continuing Education Units (a metric, not an organization)

CFA Country Fire Authority (Australia)

CFR Certified First Responder

CFR Code of Federal Regulations (US)

CFR Crash Fire Rescue (airports)

CFS Country Fire Service (South Australia)

CHF Congestive Heart Failure

CI ContraIndications (?)

CID Cervical Immobilization Device ? ... headstrap, in a pinch.

CIERA Canadian Industrial Emergency Response Association

CIH Certified Industrial Hygienist

CIS Commonwealth of Independent States (republics of former USSR)

CIS Critical Incident Stress

CISD Critical Incident Stress Debriefing

CISM Critical Incident Stress Management

CLI Call Line ID (seen from Australia) (telephony)

CMA Canadian Medical Association

CME Continuing Medical Education

CMTI Community Medical Transport, Inc.

CNA Certified Nurse's Aide

CNID Calling Number Identification (telephony)

CNN Cable Network News (TV)

CNS Central Nervous System

CO Carbon Monoxide

CO Colorado

C/O Complains Of

CO2 carbon dioxide

COAD ? ...Salbutamol is also given to Asthma, COAD, Cystic fibrosis, smoke

COBRA Comprehensive Omnibus Budgetary Reconcilation Act (US law)

CONTOMS ? All team members have attended the CONTOMS course...

COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

CP Chest Pain

C/P Chest Pain

CPAP Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

CPR Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation

CPREF California Prehospital Research and Education Foundation

CQS Continual Quality Service

CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

CRPA California Rescue Paramedics Assoc

CRT Cardiac Rescue Technician

CRT Certified Radiology Technician/Technologist

CRT Certified Rescue Technician

CSAP Canadian Society of Ambulance Personnel

CSF Cerebral Spinal Fluid

CSPS Canadian Ski Patrol System

CT Computerized Tomography

CT Connecticut (US state)

CTC Critical Trauma Care (Primarily New York State)

CTCSS Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System

CTD ? ...Before going CTD ...

CTD Close To Death

CTS Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

CVA Cerebro-vascular Accident

CVA costovertebral angle.

CXR ? (excluding the obvious technical limitations of CXR and lab values)

CYA Cover Your (Anatomy)

D5W Dextrose 5% in Water (IV)

DAA Denitrogenation Absorption Atelectasis

DAN Diver's Alert Network

DC DisConnect

D/C DisContinue

DC District of Columbia (US)

DCS Digital Coded Squelch

DE Delaware (US state)

DEMC District Emergency Management Committee (Australia)

DEMO District Emergency Management Officer (Australia)

DES DiEthyl Stilbestrol

DES Disaster and Emergency Services

DETC ... ACPM is accredited by the DETC.

DIC Dead in Car

DIC Dimminishment In Capacity ? ... lungs ... significant DIC, that didn't help

Dip PEC Post-grad diploma for Dr in E.med eg.:MBChB.DipPEC

DIVCON Divisional Controller (SES) (Australia)

DKA Diabetic KetoAcidosis (diabetic coma)

DMAT Disaster Medical Assistance Team

DNI Do Not Intubate (similar to DNR)

DNR Do Not Resuscitate

DOA Dead On Arrival

DOB Date Of Birth

DOH Department Of Health

DOT Department of Transport

DOT Department of Transportation (US)

DP Direct Pressure

DPC Disaster Preparedness Commission (NYS)

DPL ? ...definitely if the DPL is positive, maybe a CT if neg.

DPL Digital Private Line

DPS Department of Public Safety

DRL Daytime Running Lights

DSU Distress Signal Unit

DTMF Dual Tone Multi Frequency

DUI Driving Under the Influence

DWAI Driving While Ability Impaired

DWI Driving While Impaired/Intoxicated

Dx Diagnosis

E000 Enhanced triple 0 (the Australian system for delivering number/address)

E911 Enhanced 911 (the system that displays calling number and address)

EARV Emergency Ambulance Response Vehicle

EATES European Association on Trauma and Emergency Surgery

ECA Emergency Care Attendant

ECC Emergency Co-ordination Centre (Australia)

ECG Electro CardioGram

ECIC Emergency Care Information Center (US)

ECLIPS [Australian E000 database of customer address for emergency calls]

ECRI Emergency Care Research Institute (US)

ED Emergency Department

EDNA Emergency Department Nurses Association

EDP Emotionally Disturbed Person (same as MO)

EEG ElectroEncephaloGram

EENT Ears,Eyes,Nose And Throat

EF ? (She was in CHF with an EF of 30%!)

EGTA ? Airway

EHS Emergency Health Services

EHS Extremely Hazardous Substance (hazmat)

EJ External Jugular ? (IV related) (next would have been an EJ....)

EKG ElectroCardioGram (old, from German ElectroKardioGram)

ELASTIC Education for Latex Allergy / Support Team & Information Coalition)

ELCB Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers aka GFCI

ELT Emergency Locator Transmitter

EMA Emergency Management Agency (old Civil Defense) (US)

EMA Emergency Management Australia (formerly NDO) (Australia)

EMA Emergency Medical Assistant

EMCA Emergency Medical Care Attendant ? (Ontario)

EMD ElectroMechanical Dissociation (cardiac)

EMD Emergency Medical Dispatcher

EMP Emergency Medical Practicioner?

EMP Emergency Medical Programs/Planning?

EMR Emergency Medical Responder

EMR Emergency Medical Response (Australia)

EMS Emergency Medical Services

EMS-C Emergency Medical Services for Children

EMSI Emergency Medical Services Instructor

EMT Emergency Medical Technician

EMT-A Ambulance

EMT-AD Automatic Defibrillator

EMTALA Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act

EMT-B Basic

EMT-CC Critical Care

EMT-CT Cardiac Tech

EMT-D Defibrillator

EMT-FR First Responder

EMT-FS Fire service, OBSOLETE

EMT-I Intermediate

EMT-M MAST (PA)

EMT-NA non ambulance OBSOLETE

EMT-P Paramedic

EMT-ST Shock Trauma

EMT-T EMT-Tactical

EMT-W Wilderness EMT

ENA Emergency Nursing Association

EOC Emergency Operations Centre (Australia)

EOH Ethyl Alcohol

EPA Environmental Protection Agency (US) (hazmat)

EPAP EXPIRATORY postive airway pressure

EPI EPInephrine

ER Emergency Room

ERP Emergency Room Physician ?

ERS Emergency Response System

ERT Emergency Response Team

ESD Emergency Services Department (another term for ER)

ESDA Emergency Services & Disaster Agency (previous name for EMA)

ESN Emergency Service Number (911)

ESOP Enhanced (or Expanded) Scope Of Practice

ESU Emergency Service Unit

ET EndoTracheal (tube)

ETA Estimated Time of Arrival

ETI EndoTracheal Intubation ?

ETOH Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol)

ETT EndoTracheal Tube

EVOC Emergency Vehicle Operation and Control

EVS Emergency Vehicle Status (Australia)

EVT Emergency Vehicle Tech I

EW Emergency Ward

FAA Federal Aviation Administration (US)

FACOG Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

FALN Fuerza Armada para Liberacion Nacional (Puerto Rican Liberation Army)

FAQ Frequently Asked/Answered Questions (list) (INTERNET)

FART Fire Alarm Response Team

FAS First Aid Squad

FB Foreign Body

FD Fire Department

F&D Fixed and Dilated (pupils)

FDA Food And Drug Adminstration (US)

FDIC Fire Department Instructors Conference

FDSOA ?

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency (US)

FF Firefighter

FFAO FireFighters Association of Ontario?

FHR Fetal Heart Rate

FHT Fetal Heart Tones

FiO2 fraction of inspired oxygen

FIRESCOPE FIrefighting REsources of Southern California Organized for Potential Emergencies

FL Florida (US state)

FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act (Chapter 7, 29 U.S.C.) (US law)

FM Federated States of Micronesia (US)

FM Fire Marshall

FM Frequency Modulated (radio)

FMJ Full Metal Jacket (firearms)

FOTS Food on the Stove

FOTW Food on the Wok

FPE Fire Protection Engineer

FR Fire Resistive

FR First Response/First Responder

FS Food safety ? ...USDA FS IMS Program

FSDO Flight Service District Office

Fx Fracture

GFCI Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter aka RCD or ELCB

GFI Ground Fault Interupter OBSOLETE, GFCI preferred

GI Gastro-Intestinal

GIS Geographic Information System

GM General Motors

GOA Gone On Arrival

GOMER Get Out of My ER

GPS Global Positioning System

GRS General Radio Service, 27 MHz radio (Canada)

GS Good Samaritan (law)

GS Government Service ?

GSAR Ground Search And Rescue

GSW Gun Shot Wound

GSW GunShot Wound

GU Genito-Urinary

GU Guam (US)

GVW Gross Vehicle Weight

H2S hydrogen sulfide

HA Hawaii (US state)

HAI Helicopter Association International (US)

HASE Health and Safety Education (Australian Red Cross)

HASHD Hypertensive ArterioSclerotic Heart Disease

HCFA Health Care Financing Administration (US Medicare)

HCW Health Care Workers

HEENT Head Eyes Ears Nose and Throat

HEPA High Efficiency Particulate Air (filter/mask)

HIV Human Immuno-deficiency Virus

HMO Health Maintenance Organization

HR Heart Rate

HTN Hypertension

HTN Hypo/Hyper Tension

HTR Heavy Tactical Rescue

HVAC Harrison Volunteer Ambulance Corps (publish an email newsletter)

HVAC Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning

HVAC High Voltage Alternating Current

Hx History

HZ Hazard Zone

IABP Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump

IAEP ? a union

IAFC International Association of Fire Chiefs

IAFF International Association of Fire Fighters

IC Incident Commander

I/C Instructor/Coordinator

ICH Intra-Cranical Hemorrage (?) (... ICH that makes some people scream)

ICP IntraCranial Pressure

ICS Incident Command System

ICU Intensive Care Unit

ID Idaho (US state)

ID Identify/Indentification

IDDM Insulin Dependent Diabetes Melittus

IFSTA International Fire Service Training Association (US)

IHS Indian Health Service (US)

IL Illinois (US state)

ILOD In the Line Of Duty

IM Intramuscular (injection)

IMS Incident Management System

IN Indiana (US state)

IPAP INSPIRATORY positive airway pressure

IPPB Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing

ISO International Organization for Standarization (not an acronym)

IT Instructor Trainer (one who trains instructors)

ITU Intensive Therapy Unit (?)

IUD IntraUterine Device

IV IntraVenous

IVP ? then a follow-up with an IVP and found a 7.5 mm stone.

IVPB IntraVenous Piggy Back

IVT IntraVenous Technician

JAMA Journal of the American Medical Association

JCAHO ? licencing people and probably the JCAHO.

JEMS Journal of Emergency Medical Services

Johnnie Member of St. John Ambulance Association

JOL Jaws of Life

JRC Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs for EMT-P (US)

K-9 canine

KED Kendrick Extrication Device

KTD Kendrick Traction Device

KUB ? We performed a KUB with views of a possible stone and

KVO Keep Veins Open

KY Kentucky (US state)

LAS Lights And Siren

LBB Long Back Board

LCON Local Controller (SES) (Australia)

LDH Large Diameter Hose

LE Law Enforcement

LE Lower Extremities

LEAN mnemonic for Lidocaine, Epi, Atropine, Narcan

LEL Lower Explosive Limit (Hazmat)

LEMC Local Emergency Management Committee (Australia)

LEMO Local Emergency Management Officer (Australia)

LEO Law Enforcement Officer

LEPC Local Emergency Planning Committee (US) (hazmat)

LHQ Local Headquarters (SES Australia)

LLQ Left Lower Quadrant

LMA Laryngeal Mask Airway

LMP Last Menstrual Period

LOC Level of Consciousness

LOL Little Old Lady (affectionate)

LOSAP Length Of Service Award Programs

LOX Liquid Oxygen

L-P Luecophoeresis ? ...sepsis work-ups require L-P ...

LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas

LPM Litres Per Minute (oxygen)

LPN Licensed Practical Nurse

LR Lactated Ringers (IV solution)

LRS Lactated Ringers Solution

LSB Long Spine Board

LUQ Left Upper Quadrant

LZ Landing Zone (aeromedical)

MA Massachussets (US state)

MAC Medical Advisory Committee (MD's who approve ALS Standing Orders)

MACS Multi-Agency Coordination System

MAE Moves All Extremities

MAEW ?, chest OK, MAEW, hemodynamically stable, then what good is an IV

MAS Melbourne Ambulance Service (Australia)

MAST Metro Arson Strike Team

MAST Military Anti Shock Trousers

MB Manitoba (province) (Canada)

MBChB Medical Doctor (S.A. and most British ex-colonies)

MC Medical Control

MCA Motor Car Accident (Australia)

MCA Motorcycle Accident

MCEP Medical Control Emergency Physician

MCI Mass Casualty Incident

MCI MyoCardial Infarcation

MD Maryland (US state)

MD Medical Doctor

MDMA 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine ("ecstasy")

MDT Mobile Data Terminal(s)

ME Maine (US state)

ME Medical Examiner

MELREF Melways Map Reference (Melbourne Australia)

MERO Municipal Emergency Resource Officer (Australia)

MERV Medical Emergency Response Vehicle

MERV Medical Emergency Room Vehicle

MetHB methemoglobin

MFA Malicious False Alarm

MFB Metro Fire Brigade (or it's Melbourne Fire Brigade)

MFIRS ? Reporting System

MH Marshall Islands (US)

MHA ? MHA's and generally combative patients.

MHz MegaHertz, unit of frequency

MI Michigan (US state)

MI Myocardial Infarction

MICA Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance

MICN Mobile Intensive Care Nurse

MICP Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic

MICT Mobile Intensive Care Technician

MICU Mobile Intensive Care Unit

MMed Medical Specialist (S.A.)

MMFB Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Australia)

MN Minnesota

MO Mental Observation (psych pt)

MO Missouri

MOE Ministry of the Environment (Ontario, Canada)

MOH Ministry of Health

MOI Mechanism Of Injury

MOS Member Of Service

MP Military Police (officer)

MP Northern Mariana Islands (US)

MPDS Medical Priority Dispatch System

MPPA Manitoba Prehospital Professions Association

MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging

MRSA ? a disease ...we may not die from it, our next patient can...

MRT Medical Response Technician

MS Morphine Sulfate

MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet

MSE ? ... into intercept, pt is MSE is unchanged ...

MSOTW Man Slumped Over The Wheel

MVA Motor Vehicle Accident

NAD No Acute Distress (Interchangable)

NAD No Apparent Distress (Interchangable)

NAEMSP National Assoc. of EMS Physicians

NAEMSP National Association of EMS Physicians (US)

NAEMT National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (US)

NALS Neonatal Advanced Life Support ... (renamed NRP)

NAS National Academy of Science(s?) (US)

NASAR National Association for Search and Rescue

NASEMSD National Association of State EMS Directors (US)

NAVEL mnemonic for Narcan, Atropine, Valium, Epi, Lido OBSOLETE

NBC Nuclear, Biological, Chemical

NC Nasal Cannula

NC North Carolina (US state)

NCEMSF National Collegiate Emergency Medical Service Foundation

NCO NonCommisioned Officer

NCOIC NonCommissioned Officer In Charge ? (Security reaction forces NCOIC,)

NCRC National Cave Rescue Commission

NCSEMSTC National Council of State EMS Training Coordinators (US)

NDipAET National Dipl. Ambulance & Emergency Tech (ZA, level 8 = paramedic)

N.DipEC National Diploma in Emerg. Care (Paramedic, S.A., Natal and Transvaal)

NDMS National Disaster Medical System (US)

NDO National Disasters Organisation (Australia)

NECEMS The New England Council for EMS

NEMA National Emergency Management Association (US)

NEMSA National EMS Alliance (US)

NEMSPA National EMS Pilots Association (US)

NENA National Emergency Number Association (9-1-1)

NERT Nuclear Emergency Response Team (Canada)

NEST Nuclear Emergency Search Team (USA)

NF Newfoundland (province) (Canada)

NFA National Fire Academy (US)

NFIC National Fire Information Center

NFIRS National Fire Incident Reporting System

NFNA National Flight Nurses Association (US)

NFPA National Fire Protection Association

NFPA National Flight Paramedics Association (US)

NG NasoGastric

NHS National Health Service (UK)

NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US)

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (US)

NIST National Institute of Science and Technology

NIUSAR National Institute for Urban Search & Rescue (US)

NJ New Jersey (US state)

NKDA No Known Drug Allergies

NLM National Library of Medicine (US)

NP Nurse Practitioner

NPA Nasopharyngeal Airway

NPO Nil Per Os (Nil per mouth)

NPQ Not Physically Qualified

NPR National Public Radio (US Government)

NPRM Notice of Proposed Rule Making (US FCC)

NPSH NeoPrene Supported Hose ? >... two inch NPSH unless its a suction line

NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service (Australia)

NR National Registry

NRB Non-ReBreathing (mask)

NRC National Research Council (US, Canada)

NREMT National Registry Emergency Medical Technician test (US)

NREMT Nationally Registered EMT (US) REMT is preferred

NRFM Non-Rebreathing Face Mask

NRP Nationally Registered Paramedic? REMT is preferred ?

NRV Non-Rebreathing Valve

NS Normal Saline (IV)

NS Nova Scotia (province) (Canada)

NSAID NonSteroidal AntiInflamatory Drug

NSR Normal Sinus Rhythm

NSRI National Sea Rescue Institute (S.A. volunteer sea rescue)

NSW New South Wales (state) (Australia)

NSWSES New South Wales State Emergency Service (Australia)

NT NasoTracheal

N/T No Tenderness/Not Tender

NT Northern Teritory (Australia)

NT Northwest Territories (territory) (Canada)

NTES Northern Territory Emergency Service (Australia)

NTG NiTroGylcerin

NTSB National Transportation Safety Board (US)

NV Nevada (US state)

NVFC National Volunteer Fire Council

NVOAD National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters

NWT NorthWest Territories (territory) (Canada)

NY New York (US state and city)

NYC New York City

NYS New York State (US state)

O2 Oxygen

OCD Operations Control Division

OD Overdose

OEM Office of Emergency Management

OEM Other/Original Equipment Manufacturer

OEMS Office of Emergency Medical Services

OG Orogastric

OH Ohio (US state)

OHSA Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario)

OIC Officer in Charge

OK Oklahoma (US state)

OKC Oklahoma City (US)

OLMC On-Line Medical Control

OLS Office of Life Safety (IAFC)

ON Ontario (province) (Canada)

OPA Ontario Paramedic Asociation

OPA Oropharyngeal Airway

OPA ? (unconcious, no reaction to OPA or ... sternal)

OPCS Organization de la Patrouille Canadienne de Ski

OR Oregon (US state)

os Occuli Sinistrus (Left Eye)

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA)

O-sign unresponsive person with mouth open and tongue still in mouth

OTC over-the-counter

ou Right Eye

PA Pennsylvania (US state)

PA Physician Assistant

PA-C Physician Assistant-Certified (there are UNcertified PAs??)

PaCO2 arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide

PADI Professional Association of Diving Instructors

PAI ? dispatching

PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support

PaO2 arterial partial pressure of oxygen

PAR Personnel Accountability Report

PAS Personnel Accountability System

PASG Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment

PASS Personal Alert Safety System

PAT Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia

PAT Personnel Accountability Tag

PAT Pre-employment Assessment Test ?

PATA Professional Aeromedical Transportation Association (US)

PC Personal Computer

PC Politically Correct

PCCU Pediatric Cardiac Care Unit

PCR Patient Care Record/Report

PD Police Department

PDA Property Damage Accident (MVA w/out injuries)

PDO Property Damage Only

PDR Physicians Desk Reference

PE Physical Examination

PE Prince Edward Island (province) (Canada)

PE Pulmonary Edema

PE Pulmonary Embolism

PEA Pulseless Electrical Activity (cardiac)

PEARL Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light (discouraged)

PEC Prehospital Emerg Care (S.A.Red Cross bridging course to ECA)

PEEP positive end-expiratory pressure

PEI Prince Edward Island (province) (Canada)

PEP postexposure prophylaxis

PERL Pupils Equal and Reactive to Light

PERLA Pupils Equal and Reactive to Light and Accomodation

PERRL Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light

PERRLA Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light and Accomodation

PERS Public Emergency Reporting System (911)

PET Positron Emission Tomography

PetCO2 ?

PEV Plateau Exhalation Valve/Device (PEV),

PFO Pissed (drunk) and Fell Over (from Australia)

pH concentration of hydrogen ions

PH PreHospital

PHS Public Health Service

PHTLS Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support

PIA Personal Injury Accident (MVA involving injuries)

PICU Pedeatric Intensive Care Unit

PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

PIO Public Information Officer

PIO Public Information Officer

PIPSTA Placed in Service Prior to Arrival

PISS Pin Index Safety System

PLB Personal Locator Beacon

PLS Pediatric Life Support

PM ParaMedic

PMHx Priori/Previous Medical History

PMS ? ... CNS/PMS rechecked after every patient movement and intervention.

PMX Prior Medical eXperience ?

PND Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea

PNS Peripheral Nervous System

PO Peace Officer

PO Per os (by mouth)

PO Police Officer

PO2

POQ "Piss off quick!!!!" (Get out of a dangerous situation) (Australia)

POST Peace Officer Standards of Training

POV Privately Owned Vehicle

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

PPV Positive Pressure Ventialtion

PR per rectum

PR Public Relations

PR Puerto Rico (US)

PRN To take as needed (meds)

PROM Premature Rupture Of Membranes

PSAP Public Safety Answering Point (911)

PSBT pyrotechnical seat belt tensioner

PSC prehospital surgical cricothyrotomy (PSC),

PSDP Public Safety Dispatch Point (911)

PSO Public Safety Officer ?

PSVT ? The patient was suffering chest pain radiating into

PT patient

PTCA ? (The airway was secure ... until the PTCA was over)

PTL airway

PVC Premature Ventricular Contraction

PW Pressurized Water fire extinguisher

PWI ? I was an EMT instructor (PWI and BSI,back when they had those things)

QA Quality Assurance

QC Quality Control

QC Quebec (province) (Canada)

QC Quick Connect

QID Four times daily (meds)

QLD Queensland (Australia) (state)

QR Quick Release

QRS Quick Response Squad

QRT Quick Response Team

QRV Quick Response Vehicle

QSES Queensland State Emergency Service (Australia)

Q-sign unresponsive person with mouth open and tongue hanging out

RACES Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services - amateur radio in EMA

RAPID Railroad Accident Prevention and Immediate Deployment (CA US) (hazmat)

RAR Road Accident Rescue (Australia)

RCD Residual Current Device aka GFCI

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (US) (hazmat)

REACT Radio Emergency Association Communications Team International (US)

REMT Registered EMT (NREMT)

REP Regional Evacuation Point

RERB Remote Emergency Reporting Bureau (911)

RFDS Royal Flying Doctor Service (Australia)

RFP Request For Proposal

RFQ Request For Quotation

RFS Rural Fire Service

RI Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (US state)

RL Ringer's Lactate (IV)

RLAS Red Lights And Sirens

RLQ Right Lower Quadrant

RLS Red Lights & Sirens

RLSSC Royal Life Saving Society Canada

RM Rescue Medic (South Africa)

RMA Refuse[s] Medical Assistance

RN Registered Nurse

RNA Registered Nursing Assistant

RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institution (U.K.)

r/o ? r/o obstructions, and gastric emptying in certain cases

RO Radio Officer

ROM ? ... Pt. unable to follow commands to squeeze/push on ROM exam...

ROT Rule Of Thumb

RP Reporting Party

RQ Reportable Quantity (hazmat)

RR

RS Rescue Squad

RSD Reflex Sympathetic Disorder

RSI Rapid Sequence Induction

RSI Repetitive Strain Injuries

RSR Regular Sinus Rhythym

RSV Respiratory Syncitial Virus

RT Respiratory Therapist

RTA Road Traffic Accident

RUQ Right Upper Quadrant

Rx Prescription

SA South Australia (state)

SABA Supplied Air Breathing Apparatus

SAED SemiAutomatic External Defibrillator

SAEM Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (US)

SaO2 O2 Saturation (pulse oximetry)

SAR Search And Rescue

SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (US) (hazmat)

SASES South Australia State Emergency Service (Australia)

SC South Carolina (US state)

SC Subcutaneous

SCAT Special Casualty Access Team (Australia)

SCBA Self Contained Breathing Apparatus

SCUBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

SD Sherrif's Department

SE ? (names, indications, SE, CI, and...)

SERC State Emergency Response Committee (US) (hazmat)

SES State Emergency Service (Australia)

SFA Standard First Aid

SFM Simple Face Mask

SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

SIMS Standardized Incident Management System

SIPS side impact protection systems

SITREP Situation Report

SK Saskatchewan (province) (Canada)

SL SubLingual

SLASA Surf Life-saving Association of South Africa

SLUD Salivation, Lacrimation, Urination, Defecation (pesticide poisoning)

SMO Standing Medical Orders

Smokie Firefighter (Australia)

SO Sherrif's Office

S/O Station Officer (Australia)

SOB Shortness Of Breath

SOG Special Operations Group (VICPOL) (Australia)

SOG Standard Operating Guidelines

SOP Standard Operating Procedure

Spo2

SQ Subcutaneous (pronounced subQtaneous, more common of the two)

SRS Supplemental Restraint System (airbag)

SRS Supplementary Restrain System (automotive)

S/S Signs and Symptoms

SSM System Status Management

SSM System Status Manager

SSN Social Security Number

SSO Senior Station Officer

SSP ?our management is looking at reinstall the SSP/SSM system of ambulance

SSRI Serotonin Serial Reuptake Inhibitor

ST Sinus Tachycardia (?) (Straight from ST to asystole.)

STAR Special Trauma And Rescue team

START Simple Triage And Rapid Triage

SUNY State University of New York

SVT Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia

SWAT Special Weapons And Tactics

Sx Surgery

Sx Symptoms/Signs

TA Traffic Accident

TAS Tasmania (Australia)

TB Trouble Breathing

TB Tuberculosis

TBF Total Body Failure

TBI ? Today, pt. is five years post TBI, with partial complex

TC telecommunicator

TC Traffic Collisions (preferred to TA by POST)

TCA Tricyclic Anti Depressant

TDG Transport of Dangerous Goods

TDH Texas Department of Health

TEU ? Medical Support ... SWAT/TEU team for the past two years.

TIA Technical Interim Amendment (NFPA)

TIA Transient Ischemic Attack (mini-stroke)

TICK Teamwork, Integrity, Courage, Knowledge

TID Three Times Daily (meds)

TKO To Keep Open

TM Tympanic Membrane

TMU-A Technicien Medical d'Urgence - Ambulance

TOG Traffic Operations Group (VICPOL) (Australia)

TOP Topically

TPA Thrombolytic ? ... with TPA & Heprin ready ...

TPQ Threshold Planning Quanity (hazmat)

TPR Temperature, Pulse, Respirations

TQM Total Quality Management

T&R Treat and Release

TRI Toxic Release Inventory (US) (hazmat)

TSCA Toxic Substance Control Act (US) (hazmat)

TSES Tasmainian State Emergency Service (Australia)

Tx Treatment

Txp Transport

UCR Uniform Crime Reporting (system)

UEL Upper Explosive Limit (hazmat)

UHF Ultra High Frequency (radio)

UHU Unit Hourly Utilization

UK United Kingdom

UMBC University of Maryland Baltimore County

URI Upper Respiratory Infection

US United States

USA United States of America

USAF United States Air Force

USDA US Department of Agriculture (US Government)

USFA US Fire Administration

USFS United States Forest Service

USLA United States Lifesaving Association

USPHS US Public Health Service

UT Utah (US state)

VA Veteran's Administration (US Government)

VA Virginia (US state)

VAC Volunteer Ambulance Corps

VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment (Red Cross) (Australia)

VASC Voluntary Aid Service Corps (Red Cross) (Australia)

VAVRS Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads

VDT Video Display Terminal

VF Ventricular Fibrillation

VFD Volunteer Fire Department

V-fib Ventricular Fibrilation

VHF Very High Frequency (radio)

VHQ Victorian State Headquarters (SES Australia)

VI Virgin Islands (US)

VIC Victoria (Australia) (state)

VICPOL Victoria Police (Australia)

VICSES Victoria State Emergency Service (Australia)

VPB Ventricular Premature Beat

VPC Ventricular Premature Contraction

VRA Voluntary Rescue Association (Australia)

VRE Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus?

VRS Volunteer Rescue Squad

VRT Vertical Rescue Technician (Australia)

VSA Vital Signs Absent

VT Vermont (US state)

VY ? (state)

WA Washington (US state)

WA Western Australia (state)

WADEM World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine

WAFBB WA Fire Brigades Board

WASES Western Australia State Emergency Service (Australia)

WD Warm/Dry

WEMT Wilderness EMT

WFR Wilderness First Response

WFS Women in the Fire Service, Inc.

WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (hazmat) (Ontario)

WI Wisconsin (US state)

WIC Women, Infants, and Children

WNL Within Normal Limits.......

WO wide open (?) (IV)

WPD Warm, Pink, Dry (skin signs)

WTC World Trade Center

WV West Virginia (US state)

WWW World Wide Web (INTERNET)

YMMV Your Mileage May Vary (INTERNET)

Y/O year-old

YOWM Year Old White Male

YT Yukon (territory) (Canada)

ZA South Africa (INTERNET domain)

ZDV zidovudine

 

--

Henry Troup hwt@igs.net I am responsible for these opinions.

 

 

...here are the acronyms you shouldn't use on your PCR's: (Patient Care Report)

 





AMFYOYO Adios Mother F***er your on your own

BOHICA Bend Over Here It Comes Again ;)

BTFOM Beats The F* Outta Me

BTHFOM Beats The Hairy F* Outta Me

BTW Balls To the Wall

BWS Beached Whale Syndrome

CF Cluster F*ck

CCFCCP Coo Coo For CoaCoa Puffs

CHAOS Chief has Arrived on the scene

CMP-Certified Medical People

CPR Come Put-em-ta Rest

CRAFT Can't Remember A F___ing Thing

CRS Can't remember shit

CSCC c-spine clearing canines

CTD Circling The Drain (see: Close To Death)

CYA Cover your ass

DFO Done Fell Out (or Over)

DFO-SFJ Done Fell Out Screaming For Jeezus

DFU Done F**ked Up

DICCOMNAVAB Dictionary of Common Naval Abreviations (US Navy)

DIN Dispatcher Is (going) Nuts - too many alarms

DIRTBAG Dirty Indigent Requesting Transport Because Alchohol Gives him seizures

DOASTW Dead On Arrival, and Stayed That Way

DRT Dead right there

DRTTTT Dead Right There, There, There, and There

(used after pedestrian/train altercations)

DSA Dying Spoata Act (Usually accomp. with tachyLORDYa)

DVR Darth Vader Respirations

DWO Driving While Oriental

DWPA died w/ paramedic assistance

EKGFLB EKGs funny little bumps

EMS earn money sleeping

EMT-B-Effortlessly Medicaly Trained-Brain Dead People

EMT early morning transporter

EMT Extra-ordinary Masochistic Tendencies

EMT     Every Menial Task

EMT-I-Effectively Medicaly Trained-Idiots

EMT-NP EMT Nasal Plumber

EMT-P     Every Menial Task PlusEMT-P-Efficently Medicaly Trained-People

FD fu**ing drunk

FDGB Fall Down... Go Boom

FIBD Found In Bed Dead

FLB funny little beats

FNG frigging new guy

FORD Found On Road Dead

FUBAR Fouled/Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition/Redemption

GDA gonna die anyway

GOMA Get out of My Ambulance

GOMER Get Out of My Emergency Room

GPH Goddamns Per Hour

GSH Giant Sweat Hog

HBD (or SBD) (S)he Be Dead

HIF Hysterical Italian Family (Can be interchangeable)

HMFIC Head Mother Fucker in Charge

IBM Incredible Barfing Man

IDM it don't matter

IJADAD I'm Just A Dumb Ambulance Driver

(Used in court after a bad call, "I was driving, I didn't even touch

the pt)

IUD (no, wait... wrong subject. oops!)

JAFO Just Another Freaking Observer

JFA Jive Funk Attack or Just F**king Around

LASGLH Lights and sirens go like hell

LOL Little old Lady

LOL FOF NAD Little old lady, found on floor, in no acute distress.

LOLINAD little old lady in no apparent distress

LTD-Lower Than Doctors

MAGGOT Medically Able, Go get Other Transportation

MDFO Multiple Done Fell Out

MFFLB multifocal funny little beats (see FLB)

MICN May I interrupt (your) Call Now

MMMMW My Mother Made Me a Wimp

MTF Metabolize To Freedom

NKDA Not Known, Didn't Ask

Noddy affectionate term for security guards (big ears, silly hats!) (UK)

OWO On the way out.

NTID Non Traumatic Injury, Dumbass!

PD Pretty Drunk

PGBFH ParaGoddess B*tch From Hell (do not assume a PGBFH is female)

PIA Pain In the ass

PID Paramedic Induced Death

PIM patient is mangled

PITA Pain In The ass

PST Positive Samsonite Tendencies, as in the pt. greets you at the door

with suitcase in hand

PUHA Pick up Haul ASS!

PVL Patient Very Large

S2D2 See SSDD

SCENE Severe Coronary Event, Not Ending

SHPOS Sub-Human Piece of S---

SID Spoata In Distress (Spoata's are those that think abusing EMS is

their God given right! - "You Spoata take take me to da hospitil")

SNAFU Situation Normal, All Fouled/Fucked Up

SOCMOB Standing On the Corner, Minding my Own Business

SOI Shit On It

SOL Shit Outta Luck

SOS,DD Same Old Shit, Different Day

Squirrel a zealous firefighter

SSDD same shit different day

SWAG Scientific Wild Ass Guess

TMB too many birthdays

TRO Time Ran Out.

WNL We Never Looked!

WWW Wimpy Wimpy Wimpy

SPODA stuff that ain't spoda be there

 

--

Henry Troup Wrote the original list which has been greatly altered since then.

 

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