Abbreviations and Acronyms

Topic - 3

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

INTRODUCTION

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words and phrases. Using abbreviations helps one to write fast. They are also used for note-taking in lectures. There is no hard and fast rules for abbreviations. 

A few commonly used abbreviations are given below:

Acronyms are words formed by combining the first letter of most of all the combination of words, so as to make a pronounceable word. In acronyms each alphabet may denote a word but no periods are mentioned between two words and they are generally capitalized.

A few commonly used acronyms are given below:

ACT: Assertive Community Treatment

ACTION: Advocates Committed to Improving Our Nursing

ACTS: ASPEN Compaints/Incidents Tracking System

ADAPT: Alzheimer's Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial

ADD: Administration on Developmental Disabilities 

Attention Deficit Disorder 

AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrom

AND: Allow Natural Death

ASPEN: Automated Survey Processing Environment

BRASS: Blaylock Discharge Risk Assessment Screen

CARES: Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long Term Care Services

COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

COLA: Cost of Living Adjustment 

Cost of Living Allowance

CONQUEST: Computerized Needs-oriented Quality Measurement Evaluation System

DORS: Division of Rehabilitation Services

ECHO: Enhanced Community and Homecare Option

EDD: Employment Development Department

EMTALA: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act

ERISA: Employee Retirement Income Security Act

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

FAST: Functional Assessment Staging Criteria

GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

HERO: Homecare Empowerment, Research and Organizing

NCRC: National Consortium and Resource Center

NCRF: National Center of Residential Facilities

SUPPORT: Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatments

TAG: Technical Advisory Group

VOICES: Victory Over Impairments of Communication, Expression and Speech

Practice Exercises:

I. Write the following abbreviations in their complete form.