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Specializes in aged, palliative care, cardiac, agency,.

Hi there,

Am frequently puzzled by various terms and abbreviations used in handovers. What is the difference between a patient who is disoriented and one who is disorientated? And abbreviations - I know that CVA is cere.vasc accident, and MVA is a motor vehicle accident. What is MCA on a neuro ward? Is it motor cycle accident or something more neurological?

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Specializes in ICU, midwifery, Nurse Practitioner.
Hi there,

Am frequently puzzled by various terms and abbreviations used in handovers. What is the difference between a patient who is disoriented and one who is disorientated? And abbreviations - I know that CVA is cere.vasc accident, and MVA is a motor vehicle accident. What is MCA on a neuro ward? Is it motor cycle accident or something more neurological?

MCA to my knowledge is middle cerebral artery, often occluded in a stroke patient. As for disoriented and disorientated, I think they are just different words meaning the same thing lol :rolleyes:

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Hi Aussiemags, Just wanted to say hi and how is Australia these days? I am originally from Tassie. :)

I have noticed that they use the term disoriented more than disorientated here in the states. No difference in meaning though. Cheers

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Specializes in aged, palliative care, cardiac, agency,.

thanks both of you.

Sabby, Australia is as beautiful as ever. We are curently having the worst drought in over 100 years. No rain since I can remember. Houses are cracking. Here in Adelaide (as well as most of the country - not Tassie of course) we have severe water restrictions. No outside watering except occasional bursts. At least the water saving message is getting through to people. A patient the other day declined a long hot shower reminding me that we all have to do our bit to save water. Other than that life is as great as ever down here. What made you move to the US?

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Specializes in aged, palliative care, cardiac, agency,.
MCA to my knowledge is middle cerebral artery, often occluded in a stroke patient. As for disoriented and disorientated, I think they are just different words meaning the same thing lol :rolleyes:

Thanks for the clarificaton. There are times when I wonder how we can keep up with all the abbreviations, although it does worry me that I dont know what some of them mean. Being an agency nurse, moving from ward to ward, hospital to hospital every day makes it even more difficult to keep up. At least I am learning more of them all the time.

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Good Morning Aussiemags

I have heard and read all about the droughts that Australia are experiencing, breaks my heart to see this.

Tassie is just as dry which scares me as I still remember Black Tuesday in 1967.

I moved to the USA for love. I met the most humble man and as they say the rest is history. I travelled when I got my long service leave ( do they still have that or is it one of the trade offs now?) and met hubby. He proposed the day after I arrived.

It is a great opportunity nursing over here with heaps to do and learn. I am pleased for my career that I am where I am now AND the most contented.

Hubby and I plan to relocate and retire in Tassie. :)

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