This page is for the non-medical folk who read my blog. Ambulance services are renound for their over use of acronyms and as such I end up using them in my every day language forgetting that not everyone will know what i'm banging on about. I've also added some descriptions of some of the kit we use that I often refer to. If i've missed something or you want to know a meaning of something i've mentioned in a post just ask!
PALS Paediatric Advanced Life Support
X-ray When a crew becomes x-ray their shift is over
A
AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
A & E Accident and Emergency department in a hospital
Abdo Abbreviation for Abdomen
ACP Alternative Care Pathway
AF Atrial Fibrillation
AMHP Approved Mental Health Professional
ALS Advanced Life Support (BLS + Drugs and Airway)
AMP Amphetamine - Recreational Class A drug
Analgesia Describes the group of drugs for pain releif
AOM Area Operations Manager (Highest at station level)
Asystole ‘Flat lining’ showing no cardiac electrical activity
AWA Ambulance Woman's Arse
AWOL Absent without leave
AWA Ambulance Woman's Arse
AWOL Absent without leave
B
Bariatric Ambulance A specially modified ambulance for fat people!
BASICS Medical Doctors who support the emergency services
BBA Born Before Arrival
BBA Born Before Arrival
BETS Baby Emergency Transfer Service
Blue Call Pre-alert we give a hospital when we have a critical patient
Blues and Twos Blues Lights and Sirens
BLS Basic Life Support (CPR and Ventilations)
BM Blood Monitoring (checking Blood sugar levels)
BMI Body Mass Index
BP Blood Pressure
BPM Beats Per Minute
Brachial Pulse The pulse at the brachial artery in the elbow
Bradycardia Slow heart rate
BTP British Transport Police
BTP British Transport Police
BVM Bag Valve Mask used for providing ventilation
C
CAD Computer Aided Dispatch number. Every call is assigned one
Cannula A plastic tube inserted into a vein to give drugs through
Cardiac Arrest Technically dead. No Pulse, No Breathing. Call 999
Carotid Pulse The pulse at the carotid artery in the neck
CAT A Category A call. High Priority. Red 1 or 2
CAT B Category B call. High Priority. Amber 1 or 2
CAT C Category A call. Low Priority. Amber 3 or Green 1
CCP Central Chest Pain
COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CPS Crown Prosecution Service
CRU Cycle Response Unit
CSD Clinical Support Desk
CVA Cerebrovascular Accident or a Stroke
D
DIB Difficulty In Breathing
DKA Diabetic Ketoacidosis
DM Diabetes Mellitus
DNR Do Not Resuscitate
DOA Dead On Arrival
Drip Stands Fire Brigade
Drip Stands Fire Brigade
DSO Duty Station Officer
E
ECA Emergency Care Assistant
ECP Emergency Care Practitioner
ECG Electrocardiogram
Emergency Face My serious face when being watched by a crowd!
EMS Emergency Medical Services
EMT Emergency Medical Technician
EOC Emergency Operation Center - Our control room
EP Epilepsy
ETOH Ethonolic - Drunk as a skunk
EZ-IO Tool for drilling an Intraosseous needle into the bone
F
Femoral Pulse The pulse taken at the femoral artery in the groin
Frequent Flier A regular caller
Frequent Flier A regular caller
FRU Fast Response Unit - The Car
G
GCS Glasgow Coma Scale for measuring levels of conciousness
Giggle A gathering of ambulance crews!
GP General Practitioner - Your Doctor
GSW Gun Shot Wound
GTN Glyceryl Trinitrate
H
Haemoptysis Coughing up blood
Haemotemesis Vomiting blood
HART Hazardous Area Response Team
HCA Health Care Assistance
HCA Health Care Assistance
HEMS Helicopter Emergency Medical Service
HPC Health Professions Council
Hypoglycaemia Low blood sugar levels. Abv. to Hypo
Hypotension Low blood pressure
Hyperglycaemia High blood sugar
Hypertension High blood pressure
I
ICP Intracranial Pressure
ICU Intensive Care Unit
IM Intramuscular - A route for drugs directly into muscle
IO Intraosseous - A route for drugs through the bone marrow
IV Intravenous - A route for drugs directly into a vein
Ivory Tower Road staffs nickname for EOC
J
K
L
LAS London Ambulance Service
Lifepack The piece of kit we use to do ECG's, defibrillate & monitor
LFB London Fire Brigade
LFB London Fire Brigade
LMA Laryngeal Mask Airway
LOB Load Of Bollocks!
LOC Loss of Consciousness LFB
M
MDMA Pure Ecstasy in powder form
MDT Mobile Data Terminal
MI Myocardial Infarction - A Heart Attack
MPS Metropolitan Police Service
MPS Metropolitan Police Service
MRU Motorcycle Response Unit
N
NHS National Health Service
NKDA No Known Drug Allergies
NP airway Nasopharyngeal Airway - Tube up the nose
NSR Normal Sinus Rhythm - A normal ECG
O
OBs Observations ie; Pulse, Blood pressure etc
OCM Operation Control Manager
OCD Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OD Overdose
One Under A person jumped under a train
OP airway Oropharyngeal Airway - Tube in the mouth
P
PALS Paediatric Advanced Life Support
PCSO Police Community Support Officer
PEARL Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light
Pedal Pulse A pulse taken at the pedal artery in the foot
Pet Rescue Fire Brigade
Pet Rescue Fire Brigade
PMT Pre Menstrual Tension
PPed Practice Placement Educator - Mentor
PR Per Rectum - Drug route up the bum
PR Per Rectum - Drug route up the bum
PRF Patient Report Form
PT Patient
Pyrexic High Temperature
Q
R
Radial Pulse The pulse taken at the Radial artery in the wrist
RESUS Resuscitation room or begin Resuscitation
ROLE Recognition Of Life Extinct
ROSC Return Of Spontaneous Circulation
ROLE Recognition Of Life Extinct
ROSC Return Of Spontaneous Circulation
ROS Review of Systems
RR Respiratory Rate
RSI Rapid Sequence Induction
RTC Road Traffic Collision
RVP Rendezvous Point
RIO Rail Incident Officer
S
SCBU Special Care Baby Unit
SOB Shortness of Breath
SPo2 Oxygen Saturation level in %
STD Sexually Transmitted Disease
T
Tachycardia Fast Heart Rate
Team Leader First level of middle management - Clinical leads
TIA Transient Ischaemic Attack - Mini Stroke
Tx Treatment
U
UTI Urinary Tract Infection
V
VDI Vehicle Daily Inspection - Check we have everything
VF Ventricular Fibrillation
VOR Vehicle Off Road
VOR Vehicle Off Road
VT Ventricular Tachycardia
W
Water Fairies Fire Brigade
WIC Walk In Center
WIC Walk In Center
X
X-ray When a crew becomes x-ray their shift is over
Y
YOF ?? Year Old Female
YOM ?? Year Old Male
Z