A-Z of Medical and Therapy Jargon
It is common for families who have a child with vision and hearing impairment to have spent hours with their child in hospital wards, waiting rooms, corridors and cafes, while their child is cared for, has surgery and undergoes testing. Many hours are spent in doctors’ and therapists’ rooms discussing their child’s care and making decisions about what happens next.
In these environments you will most definitely hear jargon from the medical and therapy world. Over time you will understand more and more of these words and may not even notice when you start using them too.
To help this understanding a glossary of terms and abbreviations that you might come across has been provided.
We encourage you to ask questions of the professionals you see, ask for explanations in everyday language. Don’t be afraid to ask again and again to make sure you understand what is happening around you.
Tell us about the words that puzzled you or the longest medical term you ever heard. Submit a comment
| Types of Doctors | |
|---|---|
| Consultant | A doctor who has completed medical training who then completes further study in a specific area of medicine, a senior doctor who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the specialist register in their chosen specialty Also referred to as a Specialist. See Specialists or Consultants Table below for some examples |
| General Practitioner (GP) | A doctor who treats and prevents illness and provides health education for males and females of all ages |
| Intern | A first year out qualified doctor |
| Physician | Another word for a doctor who practices medicine, but does not perform surgery. They may focus on a specialty area of medicine or be a GP (In Australia, the term is more commonly used for specialist doctors). |
| Registrar | A senior doctor who is undergoing specialist training |
| Resident | A junior doctor in a hospital ward |
| Surgeon | A specialist doctor in surgery, which involves the cutting of the body, for such reasons as removing disease, or to repair parts of the body |
| Specialist | A doctor who has completed medical training who then completes further study in a specific area of medicine, a senior doctor who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the specialist register in their chosen specialty In a hospital, may also be called a Consultant. See Specialists or Consultants Table below for some examples. |
| Specialists or Consultants | |
|---|---|
| This is not a complete list of all types of specialist doctors, but rather ones you are more likely to encounter, if you care for someone congenitally Deafblind. | |
| Cardiologist | A doctor who specialises in treating heart disorders |
| Developmental Paediatrician | A doctor who assesses and treats children with developmental delays, developmental disabilities or long-lasting conditions effecting physical or emotional development, learning or behaviour |
| Endocrinologist | A doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and management of hormonal conditions including diabetes, growth, metabolism and infertility |
| ENT | A doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, medical or surgical treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose and throat |
| Gastroenterologist | A doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the digestive system, from where food goes down to where it comes out, including the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, liver, gallbladder and biliary system |
| Geneticist (Medical) | A doctor who specialises in diagnosis and management of conditions and diseases that have been inherited or occur because of changes in a person’s genes (part of their DNA). They also research the causes and likelihood of inheriting genetic disorders, and counsel of individuals and families with genetic conditions |
| Neurologist | A doctor who specialises in the treatment of disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves in the spine and limbs, including conditions such as strokes and epilepsy |
| Neurosurgeon | A doctor who specialises in using surgery to treat diseases that affect the brain and the spine |
| Ophthalmologist | A doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment (including surgery) of diseases and disorders of the eye |
| Orthopaedic Surgeon | A doctor who specialises in the medical and surgical management of bones and joints |
| Paediatrician | A doctor who specialises in diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions in infants, children and adolescents |
| Plastic surgeon | A surgeon who specialises in reducing scarring or disfigurement that may occur as a result of accidents, birth defects, or treatment for diseases, such as melanoma. Many plastic surgeons also perform cosmetic surgery that is unrelated to medical conditions |
| Radiologist | A doctor who specializes in the reading and interpretation of X-rays and other medical images |
| Nurses | |
|---|---|
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | Senior nurse on ward specialty |
| Enrolled Nurse | Ward nurse, qualified to work under the supervision of a registered nurse |
| Registered Nurse | Ward nurse, qualified with a nursing degree. Sometimes called an RN for short |
| Staff Development Officer | Staff training nurse |
| Other Health Care Professionals | |
|---|---|
| Audiologist | A health care professional who is trained to measure hearing loss and related disorders, including balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). An audiologist uses a variety of tests and procedures to assess hearing and balance function and fits and provides hearing aids and other devices to help hearing. |
| Dietician | A health care professional who focuses on food and nutrition in order to promote good health and for specific health and digestive tract conditions. They supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits |
| Occupational Therapist | A health care professional who enables people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. They work with individuals to develop, recover, or maintain clients’ activities of daily living, like working (playing or doing school work for a child), cooking, keeping clean, getting dressed and moving around. The therapist helps clients not only to improve their basic movement functions and thinking abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function |
| Optometrist | A health care professional who diagnoses and treats visual deficits using eyeglasses, optical aids or exercises to correct or improve the defect |
| Orthoptist | A health care professional who diagnoses and manages disorders of eye movements and associated vision problems, providing testing and rehabilitation of persons with sight loss and eye diseases to relieve visual symptoms and improve visual performance |
| Orthotist | A health care professional who prescribes and fits orthopaedic appliances, braces and other devices to support weight, prevent or correct deformities, reduce pain or align and improve the function of movable parts of the body |
| Physiotherapist | A health care professional who helps muscles and joints work to their full potential by diagnosing and treating short or long term movement dysfunction, physical disability and pain |
| Podiatrist | A health care professional who diagnoses, prevents and treats medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs |
| Prosthetist | A health care professional who assesses, manufactures and fits various types of arm and leg prostheses, like artificial limbs or splints |
| Radiographer | A health professional who takes x-ray images using such technologies as x-ray, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) |
| Social Worker | A professional who assists people, groups and communities to address their difficulties and achieve social justice. They provide counseling, obtain social and financial support, legal representation, shelter and offer referral advice to help people who are distressed or overwhelmed by problems such as poverty, substance abuse, homelessness, conflict or parenting difficulties. |
| Speech Pathologist | A health care professional who evaluates and treats communication disorders and swallowing problems |
| Abbreviations found in medical notes | |
|---|---|
| # | fracture |
| ATW | admitted to ward |
| BF | breast fed |
| BMI | body mass index |
| BNO | bowels not open |
| BO | bowels open |
| BW | birth weight |
| CCU | coronary care unit |
| ED | emergency department |
| ELBW | extremely low birth weight |
| FH | family history |
| FSCM | full strength cow’s milk |
| GP | general practitioner |
| HDA/ HDU | high dependency area/ unit |
| HPC | history of presenting complaint |
| ICU | intensive care unit |
| KRF | Keifland rotation forceps |
| LP | light perception |
| LSCS | lower section caesarean section |
| N/S | nursing staff |
| NAD | no abnormality detected |
| NBF | Neville-Barnes forceps |
| NBM | nil by mouth |
| NICU | neonatal intensive care unit |
| NLP | no light perception |
| NOK | next of kin |
| OT | occupational therapy or operating theatre |
| PMH | past medical history |
| PSH | past surgical history |
| pt | patient |
| PT | physiotherapy |
| QoL | quality of life |
| Reg | registrar medical officer |
| RMO | resident medical officer |
| Rx | treatment |
| SH | social history |
| SICU | surgical intensive care unit |
| SP or ST | speech pathology or speech therapy |
| SVD | spontaneous vaginal delivery |
| SW | social worker |
| TPR | temperature, pulse, respiration |
| VLBW | very low birth weight |
| Abbreviations for medical tests or investigations | |
|---|---|
| ABG | arterial blood gases |
| APTT | activated prothrombin time test |
| BSL | blood sugar level |
| BUSE | blood urea and serum electrolyte |
| ENT | ear, nose, throat |
| ESR | erythrocyte sedimentation rate |
| FBC | full blood count |
| FBS | fasting blood sugar |
| FEV1 | forced expiratory volume in 1 second |
| FVC | forced vital capacity |
| GTT | glucose tolerance test |
| Hb | haemoglobin |
| Ix | investigation |
| LFT | liver function test |
| M, C & S | microscopy, culture and sensitivity |
| MSU | midstream urine |
| PCV | packed cell volume |
| PF | peak flow |
| PTT | prothrombin time test |
| RBC/ RCC | red blood cell (count) |
| RFT/ PFT | respiratory function test/ pulmonary function test |
| SBR | serum bilirubin |
| U & E | urea and elecrolytes |
| UO | urine output |
| WBC/ WCC | white blood cell (count) |
| Abbreviations for how often treatment occurs | |
|---|---|
| b/w | between |
| bd | twice day (bis die) |
| D/C | discharge |
| D0, D1, D2 | day zero, day one, day two (post-op, post admission) |
| DNA | did not attend |
| DOA | date of admission |
| mane | morning |
| nocte | night |
| prn | as required (pro re nata) |
| Q2h, Q3h | every 2 hours, every 3 hours etc |
| qid | four times daily (quarter die) |
| s/b | seen by |
| stat | immediately |
| tds | three times daily (ter die sumendus) |
| Abbreviations for conditions and related details | |
|---|---|
| ABR | auditory brainstem response |
| AXR | abdominal x-ray |
| BP | blood pressure |
| BPD | bronchopulmonary dysplasia |
| bpm | beats per minute |
| CAT | computerized axial tomography |
| CF | cystic fibrosis |
| CMV | cytomegalovirus |
| CNNLD | chronic neonatal lung disease |
| CNS | central nervous system |
| COR | conditioned orientated response |
| CP | cerebral palsy |
| CSF | cerebrosprinal fluid |
| CTEV | congenital talipes equinovarus |
| CVS | cardiovascular system |
| CXR | chest x-ray |
| DD | developmental delay |
| DMD | Duchenne muscular dystrophy |
| ECG | electrocardiograph |
| EEG | electroencephagraph |
| EMG | electromyography |
| EUA | evacuation/evaluation under anaesthetic |
| FTT | failure to thrive |
| GIT | gastrointestinal tract |
| GOR | gastro-oesophageal reflux |
| HMD | hyaline membrane disease |
| HR | heart rate |
| ICP | intracranial pressure |
| IDC | indwelling catheter |
| IRT/ UTA | immune-reactive trypsinogen/ immunoreactive trypsinogen assay (CF test – heel prick) |
| IV | intravenous |
| IVP | intravenous pyelogram |
| JCA/ JRA | juvenile chronic arthritic/juvenile rheumatoid arthritis |
| LHF | left heart failure |
| LIH | left inguinal hernia |
| LL | lower limb/lower lobe |
| LP | lumbar puncture |
| MD | muscular dystrophy |
| MRI | magnetic resonance imaging |
| MVA | motor vehicle accident |
| N & V | nausea and vomiting |
| NGT | nasogastric tube |
| NMR | nuclear magnetic resonance |
| NPA | nasal pharyngeal aspirate |
| O2 | oxygen |
| PDA | patent ductus arteriosus |
| PKU | phenylketonuria (metabolic test – heel prick) |
| PS | pulmonary stenosis |
| PUO | pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin |
| RDS | respiratory distress syndrome |
| RHF | right heart failure |
| RIH | right inguinal hernia |
| RSV | respiratory syncitial virus |
| SIDS | sudden infant death syndrome |
| SMA | spinal muscular atrophy |
| T & A | tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy |
| TML | trachea midline |
| TOF | trachea-oesophageal fistula |
| UA | umbilical artery |
| UL | upper limb |
| URTI | upper respiratory tract infection |
| US | ultrasound |
| UTI | urinary tract infection |
| VF | ventricular failure |
| VSD | ventricular septal defect |
| Diagnosis | |
|---|---|
| DD | differential diagnosis |
| Dx | diagnosis |
| PD | provisional diagnosis |
