Common shorthand words you might come across in NHS Fife

VHK – Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
QMH – Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
WBH – Whyteman’s Brae Hospital, Kirkcaldy
STACH – St Andrew’s Community Hospital, St Andrews
AU1 – Admissions Unit 1
AU2 - Admissions Unit 2
SHDU - Surgical High Dependency Unit
MHDU – Medical High Dependency Unit
SCBU - Special Care Baby Unit
MLU - Midwife Led Unit
ECDC – Early Detection Cancer Unit
CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service


Common abbreviations that you might come across on notes or hear in handovers;


AF - Atrial Fibrillation
AP - Assistant Practitioner
BM - Blood Glucose Monitoring
BMI - Body Mass Index
BNO - Bowels Not Open
BO - Bowels Open
BP - Blood Pressure
Ca - Carcinoma
CABG - Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CCF - Congestive Cardiac Failure
COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
CPN - Community Psychiatric Nurse
CPR - Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
CT - Computerised Tomography
CVE - Cerebral Vascular Event
CVP - Central Venous Pressure Line
DN - District Nurse
DVT - Deep Vein Thrombosis
ECG - Electrocardiogram
EEG - Electroencephalogram
ERCP - Endoscopic Retrograde Colangio Pancreatography
EDI - Epidural
ETOH - Alcohol
ETT - Exercise Tolerance Test
EUA- Examination under anaesthetic
FWB - Fully Weight Bear
GA - General Anaesthetic
GP - General Practitioner
GTN - Glycerine Trinitrate
Hb - Haemoglobin
HCA - HealthCare Assistant
HF - Heart Failure
HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy
HP/HC - High Protein / High Calorie (Diet)
HSCT - Health and Social Care Team
ICD - Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
ICU - Intensive Care Unit
IV - Intravenous (Therapy)
IVAB - Intravenous Antibiotics
LFTs - Liver Function test or Lung Function Test
LVF - Left Ventricular Failure
MI - Myocardial Infarction
MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MSU - Mid Steam Urine
NAD - Nothing Abnormal Detected
NBM - Nil by Mouth
NOF - Neck of Femur
NWB - Non Weight Bear
OA - Osteoarthritis
OGD - Oesophageal Gastroscopy
OPD - Out Patient Department
ORIF - Open Reduction and Internal Fixation.
OT - Occupational Therapist
PAD - Peripheral Arterial Disease
PCA - Patient Controlled Analgesia
PE - Pulmonary Embolism
PVD - Peripherally Vascular Disease
PWB - Partial Weight Bear
QDS - Four times a day
RA - Rheumatoid Arthritis
ROC - Removal of Clips
R/V - Review
UTI - Urinary Tract Infection
USS - Ultra Sound Scan
URTI - Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
SALT - Speech and Language Therapist
S/B - Seen By
SN - Staff Nurse
SVT - Supraventricular Tachycardia
SAD- Sub acromial decompression
TDS - Three times a day
THR - Total Hip Replacement.
TKR - Total Knee Replacement.
TCI PO- To come in post op
TTO -To Take Out
TTWB - Toe Touch Weight Bear
TVN - Tissue Viability Nurse
TVS - Tissue Viability Score
TWOC - Trial without Catheter
UKI- Uni-compartmental knee replacement
VAC - Vacuum Assisted Closure (dressing)
W/L - Waiting List
# - Fracture