ADLs
Activities of daily living: feeding, dressing, hygiene, and mobility.
A.D.N.
Associate's degree nurse: an R.N. with an associate's degree in nursing.
APN
Advance practice nurse: an R.N. with an advanced degree or certification.
B.S.N.
Bachelor's of science nurse: an R.N. with a bachelor's of science degree in nursing.
CCU
Cardiac care unit: a specialized intensive care unit for patients with acute cardiovascular problems. (Can also be known as a critical care unit, which is a generalized intensive care unit.)
CHHA
Certified home heath aide: a nurse's aide who has additional certification in home health care.
CNA
Certified nurse's aide.
Critical Thinking Skills
Ability to use deductive and inductive reasoning to assess and evaluate a situation and make decisions and problem-solve based on your assessment and analysis of the facts.
DOU
Direct observation unit: a step-down care unit; patients who still require monitoring and/or more intense care than a regular med-surg unit.
ED
Emergency department.
ER
Emergency Room.
GN
Graduate nurse: a nurse who has graduated from an R.N. program, but has not yet taken or received notice of passing the NCLEX.
ICU
Intensive care unit.
LVN-LPN
Licensed vocational nurse; licensed practical nurse (California and Texas use the term LVN and other states LPN).
MAR
Medication administration record: a list and signed record of medications that a patient has been given.
Med-surg
A medical-surgical unit of a hospital that cares for patients with acute medical problems and/or pre-or post-op surgical patients.
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.
MSN
Master's of science degreed nurse: an R.N. with a master's of science degree in nursing.
NA
Nursing assistant.
NCLEX
National council licensure examination: the board exam for nurses that allows for licensure as an LPN/LVN or R.N.
NICU
Neonatal ICU: an intensive care unit for infants and premature infants requiring intensive levels of care.
Nosocomial Infection
An infection acquired in a health care facility.
NP
Nurse practitioner: an advanced practice degree for R.N.s.
NPA
Nurse practice Act: The group of laws established by each state to protect the public and that define the scope of practice for R.N.s, APRNs, and LPNs in that state. (R.N., APRN, and LPN NPAs are covered in separate documents.) The NPA includes the requirements for education for each level of licensed nurse.
OR
Operating room.
P & P
Policy and procedure: usually refers to a manual detailing the policies and procedures for care and administrative policies as determined by a facility.
PCA
Patient care assistant: an unlicensed person who has had some level of training in bedside patient care as described in the facility's job description.
PHN
Public health nurse: a certificate in public health nursing earned in a B.S.N. program.
PPE
Personal protective equipment: can include gown, gloves, goggles, or face shield, cap and booties to protect against splashing and contamination with bodily fluids and excrement, or other chemical or hazardous materials.
R.N.
Registered nurse: a nurse who has received training as an R.N. and has passed the licensure examination.
Scope of Practice
The set of duties and responsibilities that each level of nurse is allowed to perform based on level of education, license they have been granted, and the specific laws and regulations of the state in which the nurse practices.
UAP
Unlicensed assistive personnel: an aide who has been trained by a facility to assist in the care of patients according to a job description devised by the facility.
VRE
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci: an intense strain of bacteria resistant to Vancomycin.
