| CCU | cardiac care unit; Cherry-Crandall unit; coronary care unit; critical care unit |
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| CICU | cardiac intensive care unit; cardiovascular inpatient care unit; coronary intensive care unit |
| IC | icteric, icterus; immune complex; immunoconjugate; immunocytochemistry; immunocytotoxicity; impedanc... |
| ICU | infant care unit; immunologic contact urticaria; intensive care unit; intermediate care unit |
| NICU | neonatal intensive care unit; neurological intensive care unit; neurosurgical intensive care unit; n... |
| analgesia, patient-controlled | Relief of pain, without loss of consciousness, through an analgesic agent administered by the patient. It has been used successfully to control postoperative pain, during labour, after burns, and in terminal care. The choice of agent, dose, and lockout interval greatly influence effectiveness. The potential for overdose can be minimised by combining small bolus doses with a mandatory interval between successive doses (lockout interval). (12 Dec 1998) |
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| patient | 1. A person who is receiving medical treatment, especially in a hospital. 2. A person who is registered with a doctor, dentist, etc and is treated by him when necessary. (18 Nov 1997) |
| patient admission | The process of accepting patients. The concept includes patients accepted for medical and nursing care in a hospital or other health care institution. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient advocacy | Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient compliance | Voluntary cooperation of the patient in following a prescribed regimen. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient controlled analgesia | <anaesthetics, procedure> Self-administration of analgesics by a patient instructed in doing so, usually refers to self-dosing with intravenous opioid (for example, morphine) administered by means of a programmable pump. (16 Dec 1997) |
| patient credit and collection | Accounting procedures for determining credit status and methods of obtaining payment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient discharge | The administrative process of discharging the patient, live or dead, from hospitals or other health facilities. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient education | The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient escort service | A special service provided by volunteers to accompany patients who need help in moving about the health facility. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient identification systems | Organised procedures for establishing patient identity, including use of bracelets, etc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient isolation | The segregation of patients with communicable or other diseases for a specified time. Isolation may be strict, in which movement and social contacts are limited; modified, where an effort to control specified aspects of care is made in order to prevent cross infection; or reverse, where the patient is secluded in a controlled or germ-free environment in order to protect him or her from cross infection. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient isolators | Equipment used to prevent contamination of and by patients, especially those with bacterial infections. This includes plastic surgical isolators and isolators used to protect immunocompromised patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient participation | Patient involvement in the decision-making process in matters pertaining to health. (12 Dec 1998) |
| patient readmission | Subsequent admissions of a patient to a hospital or other health care institution for treatment. (12 Dec 1998) |