Published Apr 3, 2014
psu_213, BSN, RN
3,878 Posts
If you do know what it stands for, you know that it is obviously not a very glamourous topic:
BRBPR
This is an approved abbreviation at my hospital (is it at yours?). Recently, I have heard several nurses see this in nurses notes, etc. and said "what the heck does this stand for?" Upon being told the nurse often says "there is no way that is an approved abbreviation!" Well, it is.
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,241 Posts
Bright red blood per rectum.. damn I'm old.
Whether it's approved or not, depends on your facility.
sharpeimom
2,452 Posts
BTDT, you have company! I guess I'm old too... EEK! We aren't o-l-d, we're seasoned.
TiffyRN, BSN, PhD
2,315 Posts
I know BRBRP, bedrest w/bathroom priviledges. I don't know BRBPR.
Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN
1,787 Posts
Just because something is on the list of approved abbreviations, doesn't mean it should be used. If people don't know what it means, it should be written out.
Totally agree , however the docs surely won't, only the nurses .. who are busy cleaning it up!
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
bedrest with bathroom privileges or bright red blood per rectum.
Altra, BSN, RN
6,255 Posts
IMO it's a well-known abbreviation in the ER world: bright red blood per rectum. By the time the patient has been admitted the chief complaint of BRBPR has been turned into a diagnosis of LGIB - lower GI bleed - so it may not be seen much outside of the ED.
Ruas61, BSN, RN
1,368 Posts
bedrest with bathroom privileges is what I remeber
The thing is...these are ER nurses I was referring to who don't seem to know what it means (many do though).
SionainnRN
914 Posts
Hmm I'm in the ER and I've never seen that abbreviation. Maybe it has to do with location, I'm in SoCal.
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amoLucia
7,736 Posts
I'm sure you'll NOT find some of those abbreviations in an approved, recognized list of standard abbr by Medical Records experts. Just locally accepted. But that's how mistakes get made.
I like FLBs - Funny Little Beats as seen in one hospital's cardiac lingo.