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Community Corner

What Do Those Medical Terms Mean?

Do you need help understanding medical jargon? Here are some tips.

Rolling Code. Level 1. ETOH. Those are just a few examples of the jargon used by paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) on a daily basis.

It can be quite confusing to decipher medical terminology as you read newspapers or even watch television. Below is a breakdown of patient status in emergency medical services in the city of San Diego:

  • Stable: Patient has a chief complaint, but there is no altered physiology (i.e. flu patient).
  • Mild: Patient is physiologically stable, but the chief complaint is causing the patient distress (i.e. broken arm).
  • Moderate: The chief complaint has caused physiological changes in the patient (i.e. asthma).
  • Acute: The patient’s chief complaint has caused physiological changes that are immediately life-threatening (i.e. heart attack, gunshot wound).

Terminology varies slightly between emergency medical service systems nationwide, but the conditions/status remain consistent.

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“While the nomenclature for status names varies, the human body and its condition are consistent anywhere you go,” said San Diego Medical Services paramedic and nurse Rick Rod.

It is perceived that pain is the indicator for determining a patient’s status, and that is not the case.

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“Pain, while uncomfortable, is not a life-threatening event in and of itself,” Rod said. “Paramedics and EMTs do their best to attend to patients and be mindful of their pain levels, but the patient status is really determined by whether an emergency is life-threatening.”

When calling 911, it is imperative to provide as many details as possible to the dispatcher so they may assess the situation and assign the appropriate status. As always, when in doubt, 911 is at your fingertips. Remember, every second counts.

Every Second Counts is a public safety column contributed by San Diego Medical Services, the city of San Diego’s ambulance provider. Reema Makani is the public relations manager for San Diego Medical Services. SDMS is a public-private partnership between Rural/Metro Ambulance and the city of San Diego. For more information about SDMS, please visit www.SDMSE.com.

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