OB foreign language

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

This is my third week in OB. I am tired of feeling like I have landed on a new planet that speaks martian:lol2: I have worked in family practice up until starting nursing school. I want to be a midwife and have read a lot on my free time, so I am surprised at how much I don't know. Every one talks so fast during report using abbreviations I am not familiar with. Not all, but enough! Could you list some here that you use and what they mean? That would be great!

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Specializes in CNA in OB,ER,ICU,MS.

Every hospital is different but here are a few of our abbreviations:

FSE: Fetal Scalp Electrode

G4 AB1 P2 means she has been pregnant 4 times had 1 miscarriage/abortion and has 2 children, not including the one she is preggo with now

BTL: Bilateral Tubal Ligation

FF: fundus Firm

Pit: Pitocin

EFM: electronic fetal monitoring

SVE: Sterile Vag Exam

4cm 50%: she is 4 cm dilated, and is 50% thinned out

FC: foley cath

I can't think of any other ones right now, if I do later I'll post more. Enjoy working in OB its fun for the most part!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

I used to work at a OB/GYN and they do have their own set of abbreviations. It takes awhile to get use to. Here's the ones we would use or see in hosp notes.

TAH- total abdominal hysterectomy

BSO- bilateral salpingooopherectomy (done with hysto's)

TVH- total lady partsl hyterectomy (don't think these are done anymore)

VBAC- lady partsl birth after cesaerean section

BTL- bilateral tubal ligation

G- gravida (number of pregnancies)

P- para (number of viable births)

A- abortion/miscarriage

These are usually in dashes in the chart ex. 3-1-2 or G3, P1, A2

It can also be done like this

T- term births

P- pre term births

A- abortions/miscarriage

L- living children

Done in chart the same way

SAB- spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)

FSE- fetal scalp electrode

GBS- group B strept

GC- gonorrhea

IUFD- intra uterine fetal death

SROM- spontaneous rupture of membranes

c-section or C/S- cesaerean section

CMV- cytomegalovirus

IUGR- intra uterine growth retardation

LMP- last menstral period

AB- abortion

AFP- alpha fetoprotein

IUP- intra uterine pregnancy

CST- contraction stress test

D&E- dilation and evacuation

LTCS- low transvers cesaerean section

pp- post partum

SGA- small for gestational age

TAB- therapeutic abortion (used if fetus will not be viable if carried full term)

D&C- dilation and curettage

AGA- appropriate for gestational age

BCP- birth control pills

FHR- fetal heart rate

FHT- fetal heart tones

Hope these help.

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Specializes in CNA in OB,ER,ICU,MS.

In response to the poster above me, at the hospital I work at we do TVH all the time. Our docs try that before TAH. It has a much faster recovery time and less time in the hospital. I would say 99% of our TVH goes home the next day. Most of our abbreviations are the same as yours I was just having a brain dead moment and couldn't think of anymore!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
In response to the poster above me, at the hospital I work at we do TVH all the time. Our docs try that before TAH. It has a much faster recovery time and less time in the hospital. I would say 99% of our TVH goes home the next day. Most of our abbreviations are the same as yours I was just having a brain dead moment and couldn't think of anymore!

That's what I figured that it was just a personal preference with the doctor. I knew it had a quicker recovery than a TAH but I've heard "horror" stories from other doctors and TVH's. Yeah I think there are a few I missed also but it was good to remember them since I'll be starting that rotation next.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I think they do Laporoscopy assisted vag hysters, too.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

A friend of mine at work had a complete lap hyst. No vag anything. She felt great & was back to work REALLY soon afterward.

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Specializes in OB.

One you will hear but not see charted: FLK : "funny looking kid". This is not a slur, but generally translates as: "There's something not quite right about this baby, but I can't quite put my finger on it yet".

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Specializes in OB L&D Mother/Baby.

I've worked in OB for several years now and just when I think I get them all the more seasoned staff sneak in another abbreviation...

After about a year and a half I remember feeling like I knew what was going on and one of the reporting nurses said that a baby was an "FLK" I must have looked stumped but they continued with report. When she was finished I said "can we get back to the FLK" they were all amused because apparently it's a better way to say "funny looking kid" We get them from time to time LOL...

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Specializes in L&D.

The first thing to do when you have a FLK is to look at the father. Often that explains everything.

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The first thing to do when you have a FLK is to look at the father. Often that explains everything.

LOL LOL ROTFL!!! Isn't that the truth! :lol2:

PNC = prenatal care

Terb = terbutaline (sp?)

IDGDM = insulin dependent gestational diabetic mother

IDDM = insulin dependent diabetic mother

PTL = pre-term labor

Hope I didn't repeat any already listed.

You'll just have to ask around, too, because each facility has some abreviations which are unique to that place. When I say 'do a sugar' to mean bedside glucose test or ask 'where's the glucometer?', everyone looks at me funny. One touch was the brand name of the machine used here for years - now its actually a Lifescan machine - but every one still terms it 'OTG' (One Touch glucose). The doctors even order it that way - LOL.

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never ever use that abb. you are a lawyers dream if you do. I work for a med-mal attorney part time and let me tell you they are looking for things like this

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