NURSING TERMINOLOGY & ABBREVIATIONS

List of Certification Requirements for Each Specialty

ICU/CCU: Intensive Care Unit, Critical, Cardiac or Coronary Care Unit

• BLS
• ACLS - Basic Arrhythmia Course
• CCRN - Not necessary but good to have

Pediatrics:

• BLS
• PALS - Not necessary but good to have

Labor and Delivery:

• Fetal Heart Certificate
• NALS - Not necessary but good to have
• ACLS - Not necessary but good to have

NICU: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit:

• NALS or NRP

ER: Emergency Room:

• BLS
• ACLS
• PALS
• Violent behavior management course a plus to complete

Tele: Cardio Monitoring Unit:

• BLS
• ACLS - Not necessary but good to have
• Basic Arrhythmia Certificate or knowledge

Definition of Certifications:

• ACLS - Advance Cardiac Life Support
• BLS - Basic Life Support
• CCRN - Critical Care Registered Nurse
• NALS - Neonatal Advance Life Support
• NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation Program
• PALS - Pediatric Advance Life Support

Commonly Used Abbreviations:

• RN Registered Nurse
• LPN Licensed Practitioner Nurse
• LVN Licensed Vocational Nurse
• CNA Certified Nurse Aide

Basic Unit Definitions:

• ICU Intensive Care Unit
• CCU Critical Care Unit, Cardiac Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit
• SICU Surgical Intensive Care Unit
• MICU Medical Intensive Care Unit
• TELE Cardio Monitoring Unit (next level of care after ICU)
• STEP DOWN Step Down Unit (next level of care after ICU)
• DOU Direct Observation Unit (next level of care after ICU)
• PCU Progressive Care Unit (next level of care after ICU)
• MED/SURG Medical/Surgical Unit
• ER Emergency Room
• L&D Labor & Delivery
• NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (level 1,2, &3)
• PEDS Pediatrics
• PICU Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
• POST PARTUM Mother/Baby care (after delivery)
• OB Obstetrics
• ANGIO Cardiac Surgical Unit
• OR Operating Room
• PACU Post Anesthesia Care Unit (recovery room)
• ORTHO Orthopedics
• PSYCH Psychiatric Unit
• SNF Skilled Nursing Facility (long term Care facility) pronounced, "sniff"
• SUB ACUTE Long-term care facility requiring more advanced care than SNF but not as acute care as a hospital

Return to Reference Library