Alphabet Soup
AM—morning
PM—afternoon
QMRP—qualified mental retardation professional
ADA—Americans with Disabilities Act or American Dental Association
RN—registered nurse
LPN— licensed practical nurse
PRN—take as needed (medication)
A/C aircraft or air-condition
AAA—anti-aircraft artillery, American Automobile Association,
Do acronyms confuse you? I have found a way to alleviate some of the problem by first learning with whom you are speaking. If the person in front of you is wearing government-issue clothing, A/C might mean aircraft instead of air-conditioning. That same person might refer to AAA and mean Anti-Aircraft Artillery instead of the more commonly known American Automobile Association. If the person you are conversing with is dressed in all white and wearing a pin with the letters RN on it, you would be safe in assuming that person is a registered nurse. If that same person’s pin reads LPN, a good bet would be for a licensed practical nurse meaning. Therefore, when I see the letters PRN on my medicine bottle, my mind goes straight for practical registered nurse and I am confused by the meaning, take as needed. Why can't it be TAN?
For those of you who are acronym challenged like me, there is a website that you might find helpful. http://www.acronymfinder.com/ Enjoy your soup.
John Braswell ã2007
