Fundamentals of Nursing Q 451

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Which of the following is the appropriate meaning of CBR?

  

     A. Cardiac Board Room

     B. Complete Bathroom

     C. Complete Bed Rest

     D. Complete Board Room

    

    

Correct Answer: C. Complete Bed Rest

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CBR means complete bed rest. For more abbreviations, please see this post. Standardization and uniform use of codes, symbols, and abbreviations can improve communication and understanding between health care practitioners, leading to safer and more effective care for patients.

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Option A: When developing lists, hospitals need to ensure that abbreviations on the approved list are not also on the do-not-use list, and vice versa. In addition, abbreviations can have only one meaning within the entire organization—for example, the abbreviation NKDA could mean “no known drug allergies,” or it could mean “nonketotic diabetic acidosis,” but it cannot have both meanings in an organization.

Option B: Appropriate use of abbreviations is particularly important. Numerous studies have focused on health care practitioners’ understanding and interpretation of abbreviations in medical documents, such as medical records, discharge summaries, and medication orders. Findings indicate that it is not uncommon for practitioners to have difficulty understanding the abbreviations used in their hospitals.

Option D: To prevent misunderstandings and potential risks to patient safety,  requires hospitals to establish lists for approved and do-not-use abbreviations and monitor for appropriate abbreviation use. There are resources for identifying abbreviations for the do-not-use list, such as the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), which publishes a list of dangerous abbreviations not to be used due to frequent misinterpretation and associated medication errors.

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