Acronyms that confuse

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Specializes in LDRP, Wound Care, SANE, CLNC.

Okay, I read posts and see DON all the time. Have no clue what this means. LOL!

That got me thinking, are there other acronyms that just make you scratch your head and say " hu?"

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Specializes in LTC, hospital, office.

DON is Director of Nursing

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Specializes in med/surg and Tele.

for the longest time I didnt know what NOC meant until i was at my grannies ALF and one of the aides said NOCTURNAL and then i put two and two together.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

"noc" for night is one of those old ones that has fallen out of favor for the most part these days. The birth, life and death of acronyms is a constantly evolving thing and it differs from one nursing specialty to another!! :bugeyes: For example, ROM can mean Range of Motion or Rupture of Membranes (in OB patients) or PROM Passive Range of Motion and PROM Premature Rupture of the Membranes.

I'm sure there are many other confusing acronyms as well. Usually some Google sleuthing gives me the answer, but just to throw another monkey wrench in, abbreviations and acronyms from the UK and Australia/New Zealand are often completely different, too. Keeps us on our toes anyway! :)

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LOL used to mean little old lady, I now realize it's current meaning is laugh out loud.

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LOL used to mean little old lady, I now realize it's current meaning is laugh out loud.

One of my residents always scowls when I come in the room to give her meds--she gets liquid potassium chloride which tastes awful. One night I said, "Okay, you drink this and I'll talk for you. 'Eww, ugh, yuck!'" The LOL was LOL, and took her meds without complaint.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
LOL used to mean little old lady, I now realize it's current meaning is laugh out loud.

I still use both, and hope context will convey whether I'm laughing out loud or talking about a little old lady, but I recognize there are probably a few people on the internets that I've managed to perplex/and/or offend.

We recently had a somewhat-related confusion here during the major wildfire season. Mandatory evacuations of the foothill community of La Canada (pronounced "La Canyada") in effect- a reader all freaked out because the news didn't clarify if the evacuation meant the country of Canada or the little suburb. :uhoh21: You'd think you could just look out the window and see if a horde of 34 million people were heading south but whatever. :)

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Thanks nurse 156, I guess it still means both, depends on the context. Does anyone know what

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