Abbreviations and Acronyms

Study Notes

An acronym is a type of abbreviation that forms a word from the initial letters of a phrase or name
Examples:
- NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
- SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus)
- radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging)
Acronyms are often pronounced as a word, rather than individual letters
Can be used to shorten long names or phrases, making them easier to remember and use

Nursing abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases used in medical and healthcare settings
Examples:
- BP (Blood Pressure)
- HR (Heart Rate)
- IV (Intravenous)
- NGO (Nasogastric Output)
- PRN (Pro Re Nata, meaning "as needed")
Nursing abbreviations are used to:
- Save time and space when documenting patient information
- Improve communication among healthcare professionals
- Reduce errors and miscommunication
It's essential for nurses and healthcare professionals to be familiar with commonly used abbreviations to ensure accurate and effective communication

An acronym is a type of abbreviation that forms a word from the initial letters of a phrase or name.
Acronyms are often pronounced as a word, rather than individual letters.
Examples of acronyms include NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), and radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging).
Acronyms are used to shorten long names or phrases, making them easier to remember and use.

Nursing abbreviations are shortened forms of words or phrases used in medical and healthcare settings.
These abbreviations are used to save time and space when documenting patient information.

Examples of nursing abbreviations include BP (Blood Pressure), HR (Heart Rate), IV (Intravenous), NGO (Nasogastric Output), and PRN (Pro Re Nata, meaning "as needed").
These abbreviations improve communication among healthcare professionals and reduce errors and miscommunication.

It's essential for nurses and healthcare professionals to be familiar with commonly used abbreviations to ensure accurate and effective communication.