Emergency Room Language: ER words used commonly

Emergency Room Language 

Doctors and  nurses frequently use slang, jargon, or shortened forms, and we hardly even recognize them as such because they have become so commonplace. Nowhere is this truer than in the emergency room. While abbreviated forms are often acceptable, the same thing is not necessarily true of slang. That said, in some types of medical reports, such as ER notes, clinic notes, and nurses’ notes, many slang and jargon terms are acceptable. Simple shortened forms are even more widely acceptable.

It is important to be familiar with the jargon associated with the emergency room visit. The following is a list, albeit not exhaustive, of some common emergency medicine and general medical slang terms and

definitions. We are also including a list of common ER abbreviations. Please note that many of these abbreviations have multiple acceptable expansions. The ones listed below are the most common ER-related expansions. T 

COMMON ER SLANG TERMS
SLANG	EXPANSION
alk phos / alk P-tase	alkaline phosphatase
ambo	transporting ambulance
Ambu	ambu bag, manual resuscitative device
appy	appendectomy
bagging	artificial respiration performed with a respirator bag, such as an ambu bag
bag / banana bag	bag of IV fluids given to alcoholics or patients with nutritional deficiencies or chemical imbalances; named because of its yellow color, it contains multivitamins, folate, thiamine, and sugar
bicarb	bicarbonate
bili	bilirubin
Binky test	ability of an infant to evidence basic stability and an interest in “the important things in life” by placidly sucking on a binky
bleed	hemorrhage
champagne tap	clear tap; no blood
chem dep	chemical dependency
crit	hematocrit
eos	eosinophils

COMMON ER SLANG TERMS
SLANG	EXPANSION
epi	epinephrine
epi sick	pale, green, nauseous, chest-pounding, tachycardic appearance of patient who has received aggressive subcutaneous epinephrine therapy for anaphylaxis or status asthmaticus
epis	epithelial cells
four H’s	hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, hypovolemia, and high bladder
gorked	obtunded or not alert, either acutely or chronically
HOD	heroin overdose
hypo	hypodermic injection
lac	laceration
lap coly	laparoscopic cholecystectomy
leuks	leukocytes
lido	lidocaine
lytes	electrolytes
mag	magnesium
monos	monocytes
neuts	neutrophils
nitro paste	Nitrol, nitroglycerin paste
perfed appy	ruptured appendix
quant beta / Q-beta	quantitative beta HCG
rule of 9’s	for assessing percentage of body surface burned
satting / sat	oxygen saturation
sed rate	sedimentation rate
serum / urine ozm(s)	serum /urine osmolality / osmolalities (lab)
stepdown unit	a monitored setting, not as intense as any type of ICU
sux / sucks	succinylcholine
Tee-3 / TN-3 / Ty-3	Tylenol No. 3
tox	toxicology
traked	endotracheally intubated
triple A	abdominal aortic aneurysm, AAA
tweak score	scale for assessing alcoholism dependence
vitamin H	ER short form for Haldol

COMMON ER ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATION	EXPANSION
AAA	abdominal aortic aneurysm
ABCs	airway, breathing, circulation
ABG	arterial blood gas
ABW	adjusted body weight
ACLS	advanced cardiac life support
AEIOU TIPS	a mnemonic for altered mental status check
ALS	advanced life support
AMA	against medical advice
amp	ampule
AO X3	alert and oriented X 3
ATLS	advanced trauma life support
BF	black female
BLS	basic life support
BM	black male / bowel movement
BMI	body mass index
BSA	body surface area
BVM	bag-valve-mask
CAPD	continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
CCU	coronary care unit
CID	cervical immobilization device
CPR	cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CVA	cerebrovascular accident
D5 or D5W	5% dextrose in water
DNI	do not intubate
DNR	do not resuscitate
DOA	dead on arrival
ECC	emergency cardiac care
EMS	emergency medical service
EMT	emergency medical technician
ESR	erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ETA	estimate time of arrival
FACEP	Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians
FDIU	fetal death in utero

COMMON ER ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATION	EXPANSION
FHT	fetal heart tone
FOOSH	fall onto outstretched hand
GCS	Glasgow coma scale
GSW	gunshot wound
HF	Hispanic female
HM	Hispanic male
IABP	intraaortic balloon pump
IBW	ideal body weight
IM	intramuscular
IO	intraosseous
IV	intravenous
IVDA	intravenous drug abuser
IVP	intravenous push
JONES	a mnemonic for assessment of rheumatic fever
LMA	laryngeal mask airway
LOC	loss of consciousness
LR	lactated Ringer
LWBS	left without being seen
M&M	morbidity and mortality
MVA	motor vehicle accident
NG	nasogastric (tube)
NS	normal saline
NSR	normal sinus rhythm
OD	overdose
OPQRST	a mnemonic for pain evaluation
PALS	pediatric advanced life support
PQRST	a mnemoic to quickly evaluate chest pain
RRR	regular rate and rhythm
TTP	trauma transport protocol
WD	withdrawl
WF	white female
WM	white male
WNL	within normal limits

COMMON ER ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATION	EXPANSION
WNR	within normal range
WO	weeks old
WOB	work of breathing
WX	wound of exit
XKO	not knocked out
XRT	radiation therapy
Y / N	yes / no
YO	years old

The Stedman’s Emergency Medicine Words and  The Stedman’s Abbreviations, Acronyms & Symbols, third edition

books were used as references for this lesson. These resource books are highly recommende