EMS Acronyms List

EMS acronyms and abbreviations: how to use this list

Acronyms are the shorthand of the job. They save breath on the radio and space in a report, and they leave anyone new to EMS guessing.

Below are 60 common EMS abbreviations in alphabetical order, each with what it stands for.

A

• ACLS: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
• AED: Automated external defibrillator
• AEMT: Advanced emergency medical technician
• ALS: Advanced life support
• AMA: Against medical advice

B

• BLS: Basic life support
• BP: Blood pressure
• BVM: Bag-valve mask

C

• CAAS: Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services
• CAD: Computer-aided dispatch
• CC: Critical care
• CCT: Critical care transport
• CE / CEU: Continuing education / continuing education unit
• CHF: Congestive heart failure
• CMS: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure
• CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• CVA: Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

D

• DNR: Do not resuscitate

E

• ECG / EKG: Electrocardiogram
• ED: Emergency department
• EMD: Emergency medical dispatcher
• EMR: Emergency medical responder
• EMS: Emergency medical services
• EMT: Emergency medical technician
• EMTALA: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
• ePCR: Electronic patient care report
• ETA: Estimated time of arrival
• ETT: Endotracheal tube

F

• FTO: Field training officer

G

• GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale

H

• HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

I

• IFT: Interfacility transfer
• IM: Intramuscular
• IO: Intraosseous
• IV: Intravenous

L

• LOC: Level of consciousness

M

• MCI: Mass casualty incident
• MD: Medical director
• MI: Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• MOI: Mechanism of injury
• MVC: Motor vehicle collision

N

• NAEMT: National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
• NEMSIS: National EMS Information System
• NOI: Nature of illness
• NREMT: National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

P

• PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• PCR: Patient care report
• PHTLS: Prehospital Trauma Life Support
• PPE: Personal protective equipment
• PRN: As needed

Q

• QA / QI: Quality assurance / quality improvement

R

• ROSC: Return of spontaneous circulation
• RSI: Rapid sequence intubation

S

• SOB: Shortness of breath
• SpO2: Oxygen saturation
• SSM: System status management
• STEMI: ST-elevation myocardial infarction

T

• TBI: Traumatic brain injury