If you haven’t already memorized these, here’s a handy list of every PALS acronym and abbreviation you should keep readily available.
Let’s face it – asking you to memorize every single PALS acronym out there is barely within the realm of possibility. At the very least, it’s impractical. Sure, you know most of them like the back of your hand by now, after years of studying and experience.
But what about those you don’t come across on a frequent basis? Are they any less important than those that are now second nature to you? Of course not, but it’s only natural for you to forget a few of them over time.
That’s why having a list like the one below accessible at all times can be a lifesaver – literally. There is very little wiggle room in life-threatening situations. If you don’t know something, you need to find out fast.
On a less drastic note, it can also be a tremendous time-saver when it comes to taking your PALS Certification or PALS Recertification exam. Having a tool like this by your side will allow you to be much more efficient in your studying and test-taking efforts.
Truth be told, there’s really no reason to not keep this list readily available. Strive to memorize them; be prepared in case you don’t.
Here is a list of every PALS acronym or abbreviation you need to know:
ABCD | Airway, breathing, circulation, differential diagnosis
ABCDE | Airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure
ACLS | Advanced Cardiac Life Support
AED | Automated external defibrillator
AHA | American Heart Association
ALS | Advanced life support
AV | Atrioventricular
AVPU | Alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive
BLS | Basic Life Support
BP | Blood pressure
BPM | Beats per minute
CAB | Circulation, airway, breathing
CHF | Congestive heart failure
CPR | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CT | Computed tomography
ECG | Electrocardiogram
ECPR | Extracorporeal CPR
ED | Emergency Department
EMS | Emergency medical services
EMT | Emergency medical technician
ET | Endotracheal
FDA | Food and Drug Administration
GCS | Glasgow Coma Scale
GI | Gastrointestinal
ICU | Intensive care unit
IHCA | In-hospital cardiac arrest
IN | Intranasal
IM | Intramuscular
IO | Intraosseous
IV | Intravenous
LMA | Laryngeal Mask Airway
LV | Left ventricle
mA | Millaperes
MAP | Mean arterial pressure
MI | myocardial infarction
NIH | National Institutes of Health
NPA | Nasopharyngeal airway
OHCA | Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
OPA | Oropharyngeal airway
PAD | Public Access Defibrillation
PALS | Pediatric Advanced Life Support
PE | Pulmonary embolism
PEA | Pulseless electrical activity
PETCO2 | Partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide
PSVT | Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
PVCs | Premature ventricular contractions
pVT | Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
ROSC | Return of spontaneous circulation
RRT | Rapid response team
RV | Right ventricle
SBP | Systolic blood pressure
SPAM | Signs/symptoms, past medical history, allergies, medications
SVT | Supraventricular tachycardia
TCP | transcutaneous pacing
TTM | targeted temperature management
VF / V-Fib | Ventricular fibrillation
VT | Ventricular tachycardia
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We want to make sure you have the best experience possible with our courses. If you need assistance or have any further questions about online healthcare certifications, connect with our team by sending us a message.