Title: Interpret common abbreviations used in the healthcare field.
Course: Vision Care Technician I (14057-I) > Section: Learning Basic Healthcare Terminology

Interpretation should include providing the meanings of common Latin and Greek abbreviations, symbols, and acronyms, such as:

- PRN – as needed
- G0P0 – grava 0, para 0 (no pregnancies and no live births)
- H&P – history and physical
- ♀ - female
- ♂ - male
- DOA – dead on arrival
- CHF – congestive heart failure
- b i d – twice a day
- Bx – biopsy
- Rx – prescription

Process/Skill Questions:

- Why are abbreviations, symbols, and acronyms used in health care?
- Why are there regional differences in abbreviations, symbols, and acronyms?
- Why is it important to distinguish when upper and lower case letters, abbreviations, or acronyms are used?
- Why is it important to know a facility’s approved abbreviations list?
- Why are some medical abbreviations no longer used?