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A.A. — Associate of Arts
A.A.H. — Associate in Allied Health
A.A.N. — Associat of Arts in Nursing
A.A.S. — Asoosiate in Applied Science
A.A.T. — Associate of Applied Technology
A.B. — Associate in Business
A.D. — Associate Degree
A.D.N. — Associate Degree in Nursing
A.M.Sc. — Associate in Medical Science
A.S. — Assosiate of Science
A.S.D.N. — Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene
A.S.N. — Associate of Science in Nursing
ARRT — American Registry of Radiology Technologists
ASCP — American Society of Clinical Pathologists
Adult Acute Care — short term care delivered to adults who
experience sudden illness or trauma.
Addiction / Substance Abuse — an uncontrollable craving or
dependence on a particular substance such as drugs, alcohol, or medications.
Allergy and Immunology — deals with hypersensitivity to a
substance and the body's response to an invading substance.
Ambulatory Care — health services delivered to individuals
who do not spend the night in the hospital.
Anesthesiology — deals with the science of the partial or
complete loss of sensation, pain, temperature, touch, etc. usually to
permit surgery or other painful procedures.
B.A. — Bachelor of Arts
B.H.S. — Bachelor of Health Science
B.M.Sc. — Bachelor of Medical Science
B.S. — Bachelor of Science
B.S.E. — Bachelor of Science in Engineering
B.S.Ed. — Bachelor of Science in Education
B.S.E.H. — Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health
B.S.F.C. — Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences
B.S.N. — Bachelor of Science in Nursing
B.S.W. — Bachelor of Social Work
Biomechanics — the application of mechanical laws to living
organisms specifically the locomotor systems of the human body.
Biomedical Engineering — the use of technology for health
care in hospitals.
Blood Banking — collecting, processing, typing, crossmaking,
testng, and storing blood for lifegiving transfusions.
CNA — Certified Nursing Instructor
COTA — Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
CRNA — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
C-ARM — An x-ray machine shaped like a "c" with the
projection unit in one arm and the photographic receptor in the other.
It moves in many different angles to visualize organs and body systems.
Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics — a specialization in respiratory
therapy concerned with the diagnosis of heart and lung capacity using
various breathing tests, equipment, and procedures.
Cardiopulmonary Disease — diseases of the heart and lungs.
Cardiovascular — pertaining to the heart and small blood vessels.
Career Counseling — providing advice and guidance to individuals
seeking direction about future jobs.
Chemistry — the study of matter and the composition of substances
and the changes they undergo.
Clinical Dietetics — area of dietetic specialization concerned
with the development of nutritious food menus for patients.
Clinical Pharmacology — the study of how drugs are used to
treat disease.
Clinical Psychology — concerned with helping mentally or emotionally
disturbed clients adjust to life.
CPR — Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
Critical Care — deals with those who are dangerously ill or
in a critical state.
CT or CAT Scan — Computerized Axial Tomography is an x-ray
procedure that uses a 360 degree array of x-ray tubes and receiving tubes.
The technique produces "scans" of the body for visualizing tumors
etc. that cannot be localized on flat x-ray pictures.
Cytotechnology — the study of the cells of the body.
D.C. — Doctor of Chiropractic
D.M.D. — Doctor of Dental Medicine
D.N.Sc. — Doctor of Nursing Science
D.P.M. — Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
Dermatology — specialty concerned with diseases of the skin.
Ed.S. — Education Specialist
EMT — Emergency Medical Technician
EKG (ECG) — short for Electrocardiogram, a tracing of the
electrical impulses of the heart.
Emergency Medicine — deals with those who are acutely ill
or suddenly injured.
Family Practice — deals with prevention, diseases and health problems in all members of a family.
General Practice — deals with diseases of a
general nature.
Geriatrics — deals with diseases, disabilities, and care of
the aged.
HT — Histologic Technician
Hematology — deals with the diseases and problems of the blood.
Histology — The microscopic study of tissues and their structure.
Holter Monitoring — a 24 hour tracing of the heart. A recording
device is worn by the patient and then played back to show which activities
caused heart problems.
Home Health — providing health care in the patient's home.
Hospital Administration — concerned with policy development,
activity coordination, and overall management by the senior-most executive
person in a hospital setting.
Immunology — concerned with the body's response
to an invading foreign substance; deals with the entire immune system.
Intensive Care — special medial facilities, services, and
maintaining devices to meet the needs of gravely ill patients.
Internal Medicine — deals with diseases of internal origin,
those not usually treated surgically.
Invasive Cardiology — tests involving puncture or incision
of the skin or insertion of an instrument or foreign material into the
heart or blood vessels.
Kinesiology — The study of muscles and muscular movement. It forms the basic science for physical and occupational therapies.
LPN/LVN — Licensed Practical Nurse
Linear Accelerator — A piece of radiotherapy equipment which
is used to treat cancers by radiotherapists using dosage calculation by
nuclear physicists and physicians.
M.B.A./M.H.A. — Master of Business Administration/Master
of Health Administration(dual degree)
M.D. — Doctor of Medicine
M.D./M.P.H. — Doctor of Medicine/ Master of Public Health
(dual degree)
M.Ed. — Master of Education
M.H.A. — Master of Health Administration
M.H.E. — Master of Health Education
M.H.S. — Master of Health Science
M.M.Sc. — Master of Medical Science
M.N. — Master of Nursing
M.N./M.P.H. — Master of Nursing/ Master of Public Health(dual
degree)
M.N./M.B.A. — Master of Nursing/ Master of Business Administration
(dual degree)
M.P.A. — Master of Pharmacy Administration
M.P.A. — Master of Public Administration
M.P.H. — Master of Public Health
M.P.T. — Master of Physical Therapy
M.S. — Master of Science
M.S.E. — Master of Science in Engineering
M.S.E.H. — Master of Science in Environmental Health
M.S.L.S. — Master of Science in Library Science
M.S.N. — Master of Science in Nursing
M.S.N./M.B.A. — Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Business
Administration (dual degree)
M.S.W. — Master of Social Work
MLA — Medical Laboratory Assistant
MLT — Medical Laboratory Technician
MT — Medical Technologist
Maternal Infant Nursing — specialized nursing training in
care and services to newborns, infants, and mothers.
Medical Genetics — the study of genes, and diseases and disorders
that are genetically linked.
Medical Social Work — aid to people who have difficulty coping
with medical circumstances in their lives and help to handle problems
that may inhibit rcovery or rehabilitation.
Mental Health — deals with the presence or absence of mental
problms or how people have adjusted to life and their feelings of self-worth.
Microbiology — the study of microscopic organisms like bacterias
or viruses.
MRI — Magnetic Resonance Imaging - The human body is made
up of elements with specific magnetic characteristics. When the body is
exposed to a very strong pulsating magnetic field, different body tissues
resonate at different speeds. The machine analyzes the resonances of body
tissues and creates an image of each type of tissue.
Neonatal — concerning the first six weeks after
birth.
Neonatology — study and care of newborn infants (up to six
weeks of age).
Neurological Surgery — surgery involving the brain, cranial
nerves and spinal cord.
Neurology — concerned with nervous system (brain, cranial
nerves, and spinal cord).
Noninvasive Cardiology — performing tests dealing with the
heart that do not require entering the body or puncturing the skin.
Nuclear Medicine — medicine specialty concerned with the use
of radioactive materials for diagnostic and treatment purposes.
Nuclear Pharmacy — the application of principles and practices
of pharmacy and radiochemistry to produce radioactive drugs for patient
diagnosis and therapy.
Nursing Administration — concerned with administrative nursing
duties such as supervision, instruction, and schedule coordination in
a health care setting.
Nursing Home Administration — concerned with policy development,
activity coordination, and overall management in a nursing home.
Nutrition — the study of foods and their affect on the growth
and development of animals and humans.
ORT — Operating Room Technician
OT — Occupational Therapist
Obstetrics and Gynecology — concerned with female reproductive
organs, pregnancy, labor, and childbirth.
Occupational Health — deals with self-care, work, play and
task performance skills of well and disabled people.
Oncology — deals with cancerous and benign tumors.
Ophthalmology — concerned with the eye, its anatomy, physiology,
and diseases.
Oral Surgery — services, including diagnosis, operations,
and treatment, that are provided due to problems with the jaw and surrounding
structures.
Orthopedic Surgery — deals with surgery involving the bones
and joints.
Otolaryngology — concerned with treatment of the subhead and
neck including the ear, nose, and throat.
Otorhinolaryngology — concerned with treatment of the subhead
and neck including the ear, nose and throat.
Outpatient — an individual who comes to a health care facility
for an operation, treatment, or procedure, but does not spend the night.
Ph. D. — Doctor of Philosophy
Pharm. D. — Doctor of Pharmacy
PT — Physical Therapist
PTA — Physical Therapy Assistant
Pathology — study of the changes in tissues and organs caused
by disease.
Pediatrics — deals with children, their development, care
and diseases.
Pharmacology — the use of medicine in treatment of diseases;
drug therapy.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — deals with treatment
and recovery from disease with treatment and recovery from disease or
injury through occupational,physical, and speech therapy.
Plastic Surgery — surgery dealing with the restoration, repair,
or reconstruction of body structures.
Preventive Medicine — concerned with preventing the occurence
of both mental and physical illness and disease.
Proctology — concerned with disorders of the rectum and anus.
Psychiatric Social Work — concerned with supportive services
for the mentally disabled such as outreach, crisis intervetion, substance
abuse, social rehabilitation, and skills training in daily activities.
Psychiatry — deals with the study diagnosis and prevention
of mental illness.
Psychiatry and Neurology — deals with the study, diagnosis
and prevention of mental illness; concerned with nervous system (brain,
cranial nerves, and spinal cord).
Psychology — study of the mental processes, normal and abnormal,
and their effects on behavior.
Public Health — the science of providing protection and promotion
of community health through organized community effort.
Pulmonary Care — deals with the care of the lungs.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation — an area of specialty designed to
stabilize or reverse conditions affecting the respiratory system.
RD — Registered Dietician
RT— Respiratory Therapist
RN — Registered Nurse
RPh — Registered Pharmacist
Radiology — deals with radioactive substances in relation
to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases including x-rays and
radioactive isotopes.
Rehabilitation — to restore or bing to a condition of good
health or usefulness.
Rehabilitation Medicine — medical specialty concerned with
providing services to persons needing restoration of physical or mental
functioning.
School Health — deals with the physical, mental
and social well-being of students in a school setting.
School Nursing — registered nurse employed by a school system;
major role is preventative care such as immunization and safety programs,
counseling, and educating students on good health.
Sports Medicine — caring for athletes on a competitive and
recreational level in terms of injury prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
which includes musculoskeletal as well as medical issues.
Stress Test — Using either physical exercise or medications,
the patient's heart is caused to work hard to show if there is a weakness
under pressure.
Surgery — deals with treatment of diseases by operative procedures.
Thoracic Surgery — surgery involving rib cage
and structures of the rib cage.
Toxicology — the study of poisons and harmful chemicals and
their affect on plants, animals, and humans.
Urology — deals with the urinary tract.
Vision Therapy — area of specialization concerned with therapy exercises designed to improve and maintain good vision.
X-ray — high-energy electromagnetic waves that penetrate solid matter and act on photographic film. Radiologic technologists are trained in the use of x-ray equipment.
© Copyright 2002 Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems