ProNurse

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: P

PACS  picture archiving and communications system
PAED  paediatrics
PAF  performance assessment framework
PALS  patient advice and liaison service
PbR  payment by results
PCG  primary care group
PCIP  primary care investment plan
PCO  primary care organisation
PCT  primary care trust
PDP  personal development plan
PEC  professional executive committee (of PCT)
PERL  pupils equal and reacting to light
PFI  private finance initiative
PHeL  Public Health electronic Library
PHO  public health observatory
PHYSIO  physiotherapy
PMETB  Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board
PMS  personal medical services
PPA  Prescription Pricing Authority
PPF  priorities and planning framework
PPI  patient and public involvement
PPO  preferred provider organisation
PPP  public–private partnership
PPRS  Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme
PR  per rectum
PRB  pay review body
PRN  as required
PSA  public service agreement
PVD  peripheral vascular disease

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: O

O  oral
OAT  out-of-area treatment
OCMO  Office of the Chief Medical Officer (Wales)
OD  once a day
ODA  operating department assistant
ODP  operating department practitioner
ONC oncology
OP  outpatient
ORTHO orthopaedics
OSC  (local authority) overview and scrutiny committee
OT  occupational therapist/therapy
OTC  over-the-counter

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: N

NatPaCT  National Primary and Care Trust (development programme)
NAW  National Assembly for Wales
NBA  National Blood Authority
NBAP  national booked admissions programme
NBI  national beds inquiry
NCAA  National Clinical Assessment Authority
NCE  national confidential enquiry
NCSC  National Care Standards Commission
NCVO  National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NeLH  National electronic Library for Health
NES  NHS Education for Scotland
NEURO  neurological
NG  nasogastric
nGMS  new general medical services (contract)
NHSI  NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
NHSL  NHS Logistics
NHSLA  NHS Litigation Authority
NHS  LIFT NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust
NHS  QIS NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
NHST  NHS trust
NICE  National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
NIDDM  non insulin dependant diabetes mellitus
NIMHE  National Institute for Mental Health in England
NLIAH  National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (Wales)
NMC  Nursing and Midwifery Council
NOCTE  every night
NOF  National Opportunities Fund
NPfIT  National Programme for IT (in the NHS)
NPG  national priorities guidance
NPHS  National Public Health Service (Wales)
NPSA  National Patient Safety Agency
NRAC  NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee
NRCI  national reference cost index
NRPB  National Radiological Protection Board
NRT  nicotine replacement therapy
NSCAG  National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group
NSF  national service framework
NSRC  national schedule of reference costs
NSS  National Services Scotland
NTA  National Treatment Agency (for Substance Misuse)
NTO  national training organisation

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: M

MAU  medical assessment unit
MANE  every morning
MC&S  multi culture and sensitivity
MCN  managed clinical network
MCO  managed care organisation
MED  medical
MFS  market forces supplement
MHAC  Mental Health Act Commission
MHRA  Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
MHRT  mental health review tribunal
MI  myocardial infarction
MMC  Modernising Medical Careers
MMR  measles, mumps, rubella
MOB  medical observation bay
MRC  Medical Research Council
MRI  magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA  methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MSU  mid stream urine

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: I-L

IC  information commissioner
ICAS  Independent Complaints Advocacy Service
ICD  international classification of diseases
ICN  infection control nurse
ICP  integrated care pathway
ICRS  integrated care records service
ICT  information and communication technology
ICU  intensive care unit
IDDM  insulin dependant diabetes mellitus
IHD  ischaemic heart disease
ILA  individual learning account
IM  intra-muscular
IV  intravenous
IMCA  independent mental capacity advocate
IM&T  information management and technology
IP  inpatient
IPR  individual performance review
IPU  (Department of Health) Information Policy Unit
ISB  (NHS) Information Standards Board
ISD  Information and Statistics Division (Scotland)
ITU  intensive therapy unit
IWL  improving working lives

JIPs joint investment plans

LBBB   left bundle branch block
LFT  liver function test
LFT   lung function test
LHB  local health board
LHC  local health council
LHCC  local healthcare co-operative
LHG  local health group
LHP  local health plan
LIF  left iliac fossa
LIS  local implementation strategy
LP  lumbar puncture
LPSA  local public service agreement
LRTI  lower respiratory track infection
LSP  local strategic partnership; local service provider
LTA  long-term agreement
LVF   left ventricular failure

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: G-H

GI  gastro intestinal
GMC  General Medical Council
GMS  general medical services
GPSI  general practitioner with a special interest
GU  genito urinary
GUM  genito-urinary medicine (clinic)
GYNAE  gynaecology

HA  health authority
HAEM  haematology
HAZ  health action zone
HB  health board
HB  haemoglobin
HBG  health benefit group
HCC  Healthcare Commission
HCHS  hospital and community health services
HAD  health development agency
HCA  health care assistant
HDU  high dependency unit
HEFCE  Higher Education Funding Council for England
HES  hospital episode statistics
HFEA  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
HIA  health impact assessment
HIMP  health improvement and modernisation plan
HIS  histology
HIV  human immune deficiency virus
HIW  Health Inspectorate Wales
HLC  healthy living centre
HO  house officer
HOWIS  Health of Wales Information Service
HPA  Health Protection Agency
HPC  Health Professions Council
HPMA  Healthcare People Management Association
HRG  healthcare resource group
HSC  health service circular; (House of Commons) Health Select Committee
HSCI  health service cost index
HTA  health technology assessment

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: E-F

EBH  evidence-based healthcare
EBM  evidence-based medicine
EBS  emergency bed service
ECG   electro cardiograph
ECHO  echo cardiogram
ECHR  European Convention on Human Rights
ECR  extra-contractual referral
EDH  elderly day hospital
EFL  external financing limit
EHR  electronic health record
EN  enrolled nurse
ENT  ear, nose and throat
EO  employers’ organisation
EPR  electronic patient record
EPS  electronic prescription service
ERDIP  electronic record development and implementation programme
ESR  electronic staff record
ETP  electronic transmission of prescriptions
ETT  endo tracheal tube
EWTD  European working-time directive

FBC  full blood count
FCE  finished consultant episode
FHS  family health services
FMP  financial management programme
FOI  freedom of information
FSA  Food Standards Agency

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: M-N

MAU  medical assessment unit
MANE  every morning
MC&S  multi culture and sensitivity
MCN  managed clinical network
MCO  managed care organisation
MED  medical
MFS  market forces supplement
MHAC  Mental Health Act Commission
MHRA  Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
MHRT  mental health review tribunal
MI  myocardial infarction
MMC  Modernising Medical Careers
MMR  measles, mumps, rubella
MOB  medical observation bay
MRC  Medical Research Council
MRI  magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA  methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MSU  mid stream urine

NatPaCT  National Primary and Care Trust (development programme)
NAW  National Assembly for Wales
NBA  National Blood Authority
NBAP  national booked admissions programme
NBI  national beds inquiry
NCAA  National Clinical Assessment Authority
NCE  national confidential enquiry
NCSC  National Care Standards Commission
NCVO  National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NeLH  National electronic Library for Health
NES  NHS Education for Scotland
NEURO  neurological
NG  nasogastric
nGMS  new general medical services (contract)
NHSI  NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
NHSL  NHS Logistics
NHSLA  NHS Litigation Authority
NHS  LIFT NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust
NHS  QIS NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
NHST  NHS trust
NICE  National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
NIDDM  non insulin dependant diabetes mellitus
NIMHE  National Institute for Mental Health in England
NLIAH  National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (Wales)
NMC  Nursing and Midwifery Council
NOCTE  every night
NOF  National Opportunities Fund
NPfIT  National Programme for IT (in the NHS)
NPG  national priorities guidance
NPHS  National Public Health Service (Wales)
NPSA  National Patient Safety Agency
NRAC  NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee
NRCI  national reference cost index
NRPB  National Radiological Protection Board
NRT  nicotine replacement therapy
NSCAG  National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group
NSF  national service framework
NSRC  national schedule of reference costs
NSS  National Services Scotland
NTA  National Treatment Agency (for Substance Misuse)
NTO  national training organisation

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: A-B

A&E  accident and emergency
ABPI  Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
ABG  arterial blood gas
AC  audit commission
ACAD  ambulatory care and diagnostic unit
ADMIN  administration
A.FLUT  atrial flutter
AF  atrial fibrillation
AHP  allied health profession(al)
AHP  allied health profession(al)
AIDS  acquired immune deficiency syndrome
ANGIO  angiogram
AXR  abdominal x-ray

BAMM  British Association of Medical Managers
BD  twice a day
BM  blood glucose monitoring
BMA  British Medical Association
BP   blood pressure
BPM  beats per minute
Brady  bradycardia

Medical Accronyms that may be useful for nurses: C-D

CA  carcinoma
CABG  coronary artery by-pass graft
CAMHS  child and adolescent mental health services
CAS  casualty
CAT  computerised axial tomography (scan)
CATH  catheter
CCF  congested cardiac failure
CCIT  consultant contract implementation team
CCU  coronary care unit
CDIF   clostridium difficule
CDO  chief dental officer
CE  cardiac enzymes
CGST (NHS)  clinical governance support team
CHAI  Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (previous name for
the Healthcare Commission)
CHB  complete heart block
CHC  Community Health Council
CHCP  Community Health and Care Partnership (Scotland)
CHD  coronary heart disease
CHIQ  Centre for Health Information Quality
CHMS  central health and miscellaneous services
CHP  Community Health Partnership (Scotland)
CIMP  clinical information management programme
CIO  chief information officer
CIP  cost improvement programme
CME  continuing medical education
CMHT  community mental health team
CMO  chief medical officer
CN  charge nurse
CNO  chief nursing officer
COAD  chronic obstructive airways disease
COAG  coagulation
COL  colonoscopy
CONS  Consultant
COPD  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPA  care programme approach
CPD  continuing professional development
CPR  Child Protection Register
CPR  cardio pulmonary resuscitation
CRD  (NHS) Centre for Research and Dissemination
CRHP  Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals
CRS  Care Records Service
CSA  Common Services Agency
CSF  central spinal fluid
CSM  Committee on the Safety of Medicines
CSR  comprehensive spending review
CSU  catheter specimen urine
CTO  compulsory treatment order
CT (CAT)  computerised tomography (computerised axial tomography)
CVA  cerebral vascular accident
CVP  central venus pressure
CXR  chest x-ray

D&C  dilation and curettage
DAT  drug action team
DFT  distance from target
DGH  district general hospital
DH or DoH  Department of Health
DHSSPS  Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
(Northern Ireland)
DM   diabetes mellitus
DPH  director of public health
DPR  Data Protection Registrar
DSU  day surgery unit
DTC  diagnosis and treatment centre