Medical Terminology Course Week 1

Medical Terminology Course - Week 1

Abbreviations and Shortened Forms

• Abbreviations use key letters or key syllables, e.g., BP for Blood Pressure, MI for Myocardial Infarction, and COPD for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Variations include abbreviations that use key letters or key syllables, e.g., HTN for Hypertension and AF or A Fib for Atrial Fibrillation
• First letter rule (initialing) is commonly used, e.g., LFTs for Liver Function Tests

Decoding Long Medical Words

• Examine each segment of the word
• Check a list of segment definitions
• Use combined segment definitions to determine the meaning of the word
• Consider the context in which the word is used
• Safety is a top priority when decoding medical words

Guidelines for Understanding Clinical Abbreviations

• Shortened form of a word, e.g., temp for Temperature
• First letters of each word, e.g., COPD for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• First letters that form a pronounceable word, e.g., AIDS for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• First letters of the major syllables of a term, e.g., NG for Nasogastric or GI for Gastrointestinal
• First letters and a syllable, e.g., V fib for Ventricular Fibrillation
• Context is essential to understand the meaning of an abbreviation

Key Terms - Week 1

• Artery
• Axilla (armpit)
• Confusion
• Dehydration
• Deteriorated
• Diarrhea
• Dissipate
• Dizziness
• Groin
• Intracranial
• Intracranial pressure
• Metabolism
• Non-invasive
• Pallor
• Palpable
• Rectum
• Shivering
• Therapeutic

Vital Signs

• Four measurements: Temperature, Pulse, Respirations, and Blood Pressure
• Spoken as "vitals" and written as "vs"
• Newest equipment is the vital signs cart
• When reporting, report them in the order: T, P, R, BP

Temperature

• Body temperature measured via mouth, ear, axilla, or rectum
• Normal body temperature is 98.6°F or 37°C
• Temperature variations:
  • Febrile: elevated body temperature beyond normal
  • Hypothermia: body temperature below 95°F or 35°C
  • Hyperthermia: prolonged elevation of body temperature above normal (100-101°F due to exposure to heat)

Pulse

• Palpable lift in an artery usually felt or detected electronically
• Clinical conversation uses the word "pulse"
• Written abbreviation: p
• Spoken: p
• Written: P or p
• BPM: Beats Per Minute
• Pulse points:
  • Carotid: commonly palpated pulse, felt with fingers on one side of the neck
  • Radial: commonly palpated pulse, felt with fingers on wrist
  • Apical: monitored with a stethoscope, found at the apex of the heart
  • Femoral
  • Pedal