Surgical Terminology
It is important for all perioperative team members to understand surgical terminology. Review some of the key terminologies that you will come across in the operating room. Please note this is a starting list and not exhaustive.
Next, let’s look at some common suffixes and prefixes used in the perioperative environment.
🧩 Practice Activity: Test Your Knowledge
Take care with Medical Terminology and Acronyms
Review the following links to learn more about dangerous abbreviations and error-prone abbreviations in healthcare documentation:
Dangerous abbreviations in medications
The abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations found in this table have been reported as being frequently misinterpreted and involved harm.
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Error prone abbreviations
The ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices) List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations contains abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations.
Read Article
📁 Documentation Highlight
Throughout this course, you will see documentation highlights in other modules. These sections will emphasize key documentation requirements and practices in the perioperative environment.
🧠 Graded Activity
In Blackboard, complete the Graded Activity: Terminology Matching