| A | B |
|---|
| TDM | Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (Measuring the levels of prescribed drugs in the blood stream. Usually for peak (maximum) and trough [troff] (minimum) levels. |
| EST | Evacuated Tube System This is the most common method of drawing blood. |
| POCT | Point of Care Testing (Tests performed on patient with results available right away. Glucose, urinalysis and many of the tests phlebotomists perform in the lab are POCT.) |
| FUO | Fever of Unknown Origin This is the condition that normally indicates a blood culture (B/C). The patient is at their most contagious, so PPEs are a must! It is also a sterile procedure, so it is always the first draw in a series.) |
| PP | Post Prandial (Latin for after a meal.) |
| GTT | Glucose Tolerance Test (Test to determine how well a body metabolizes carbohydrates. Drawn into gray top tubes.) |
| ETOH | Chemical abbreviation for ethanol, which is to say blood alcohol. The test is normally drawn into a red top tube without using an alcohol prep pad and tape is wraped around the tube to let the lab tech know it should remain air tight.) |
| QNS | Quantity Not Sufficient (This is to be avoided at all costs! If you didn't draw enough blood for the techs to test, you will have to re-draw your patient, which could involve having them return to the clinic!) |
| PKU | Phenylketonuria (This is a condition that exists in some newborns and can lead to developmental delays if not detected early. It is mandated (required) of all newborns in the State of Washington |
| ACD | Acid Citrate Dextrose (This is the additive in the yellow tube that is sent to the Blood Bank (immunohematology) for tissue typing/matching. The test is HLA and the specimen type is Whole Blood. This is NOT the sterile tube used for Blood Cultures!) |
| A-V Shunt | Arterio-Venous Shunt (This is also known as a fistula and is the joining of a vein and an artery in kidney dialysis patients to filter their blood.) |
| A-V Fistula | Arterio-Venous Fistula (This is also known as a shunt and is the joining of a vein and an artery in kidney dialysis patients to filter their blood.) |
| AED | Automated External Defibrillator (This is a device that delivers shocks to a "fibrillating" heart, defibrillating it. Fibrillation is when the heart quivers, but cannot pump blood effectively. |
| EDTA | EthyleneDiamineTetraacetic Acid (This is the anticoagulant in lavender top tubes, which are tested by Hematology (3 and 5ml tubes) or the Blood Bank (immunohematology, 7ml tubes).) The specimen type is Whole Blood. |
| APTT | Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (This is a test of the blood's ability to coagulate. It is drawn into a light blue top tube (draw a red one first!) and sent to COAG. |
| BC or B/C | Blood Culture (Blood cultures are run on patients that are sick and we can't figure out why. Two, three or more bottles of blood are drawn and incubated to "amplify" the BBP (blood-borne pathogen) that is causing the problem in order to identify it.) |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible (This term is similar to STAT (Short Turn Around Time, from the Latin "STATIM," which means "immediately" or "¡pronto!" |
| BBP | Blood-Borne Pathogen (This is any pathogen that can lives in the blood. |
| HIV | Human Immunodeficiency Virus (This is the virus that leads to AIDS. It is a BBP (blood-borne pathogen), a retrovirus that kills T cells. |
| BT | Bleeding Time (A POCT (Point of Care Test) performed to measure how long it takes for bleeding to stop in a patient. |
| PT | Pro-Time (Prothrombin Time) This is another test the measures the blood's ability to clot. |
| SST | Serum Separation Tube (There are two types of serum separation tubes: Marble Red and Gold (the SST twins). They have a clot activator (for serum) and gel (for separation) |
| PST | Plasma Separation Tube (Also called PPT or Plasma Preparation Tube). There are two types of plasma separation tubes: Marble Green and Mint (the PST twins). They have an anticoagulant (Li Hep, for plasma) and gel (for separation). |
| AIDS | Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) When HIV has advanced to a certain stage, it is diagnosed as AIDS. |
| DNR | Do Not Resuscitate. (Sign sometimes seen near inpatient bed. (Phlebotomist should still call the nurse if the patient is experiencing trouble.) |
| DNAR | Do Not Attempt Resuscitation. (Sign sometimes seen near inpatient bed. (Phlebotomist should still call the nurse if the patient is experiencing trouble.) |
| ABG | Arterial Blood Gases (This is a test that measures the levels of gases (typically PCO2 and PO2 in addition to pH) in arterial blood. Phlebotomists do not collect arterial blood. |
| CBC | Complete Blood Count (This is a "panel test," which consists of seven individual sub-tests: RBC, WBC, Plt, Hgb, Hct, Diff and ESR.) |
| ECG (EKG) | Electrocardiogram (This used to be spelled EKG (after the German Elektrokardiogramm) to distinguish it from EEG. It is a reading of the heart's electrical activity.) |
| ESR | Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (A test that measures the time it takes for red blood cells (erythrocytes) to settle, indicating degree of inflammation.) |
| WBC | White Blood Cells (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| RBC | Red Blood Cells (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| Plt (PLT) | Platelets (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| Hct | Hematocrit (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| Hgb | Hemoglobin (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| Diff | Differential white count (Part of a CBC (Complete Blood Count).) |
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone |
| PSA | Prostate Specific Antigen |
| LH | Leutinizing Hormone |
| HDL | High-Density Lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol)) |
| LDL | Low-Density Lipoprotein ("bad" cholesterol)) |
| FDP | Fibrinogen or Fibrin Degradation Product |
| XDP | Crosslinked (Fibrinogen) Degradation Product |
| PICC | Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter |
| BUN | Blood Urea Nitrogen |
| CHOL | Cholesterol |
| ABO | Bloodtyping (After the bloodtypes: A, B, AB and O) |
| BIL | Bilirubin (Protect from light) |
| Ca | Calcium |
| CK | Creatine Kinase (Presence marks heart attack, severe muscle breakdown, muscular dystrophy and acute renal failure.) |
| NPO | Latin for "nil per os" (Nothing by mouth) |
| Mg++ | Magnesium |
| Lytes | Electrolytes |
| Fe | Iron |
| TRIG | Triglycerides (Main ingredient in fats, indicator of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease and stroke.) |
