This sixth edition of Jablonski's Dictionary of Medical Acronyms & Abbreviations is the first to be published without the tireless work of Stanley Jablonski, who passed away just before the publication of the fifth edition. The book has been extremely well received over the years, and the author's enthusiasm and love of medical vocabulary in all its forms, even maddeningly obscure abbreviations, are evident in its pages. The task of maintaining this volume now falls to the staff of the Dorland's dictionaries, who are well aware of the tradition of excellence that they have inherited.
Although responsibility for maintaining the text has changed, the book itself remains the familiar, convenient little volume that has served users well for two decades. The book retains its format of boldface abbreviations followed by run-in meanings, a device that enables it to encompass as many entries as larger, heavier books in an easyto-handle size. The list of symbols, which has been expanded for this edition, is in its usual place at the front of the book. The listings for organizations have been updated: new ones have been added; name changes have been incorporated; outdated names have been cross-referenced to new ones (or dropped, when thoroughly obsolete, to make room for new material). Abbreviations and acronyms are included in a single alphabetically arranged section (no need to flip through multiple sections) and several thousand new entries have been added. The CD-ROM that accompanies this book has been improved from that of the previous edition—it is searchable for both abbreviations and meanings, which will greatly increase its usefulness.
As has been noted by many, the convenience of using acronyms and abbreviations can be outweighed by the danger in doing so. In some cases, ambiguity in interpretation can lead to situations in which patient safety may be compromised. For this reason, the Joint Commission (JCAHO) has created a list of abbreviations that are considered dangerous and should not be used in a health care setting. The abbreviations included in this edition have been compared with the JCAHO "Do not use" list, and those that occur on this list are so identified.
Although responsibility for maintaining the text has changed, the book itself remains the familiar, convenient little volume that has served users well for two decades. The book retains its format of boldface abbreviations followed by run-in meanings, a device that enables it to encompass as many entries as larger, heavier books in an easyto-handle size. The list of symbols, which has been expanded for this edition, is in its usual place at the front of the book. The listings for organizations have been updated: new ones have been added; name changes have been incorporated; outdated names have been cross-referenced to new ones (or dropped, when thoroughly obsolete, to make room for new material). Abbreviations and acronyms are included in a single alphabetically arranged section (no need to flip through multiple sections) and several thousand new entries have been added. The CD-ROM that accompanies this book has been improved from that of the previous edition—it is searchable for both abbreviations and meanings, which will greatly increase its usefulness.
As has been noted by many, the convenience of using acronyms and abbreviations can be outweighed by the danger in doing so. In some cases, ambiguity in interpretation can lead to situations in which patient safety may be compromised. For this reason, the Joint Commission (JCAHO) has created a list of abbreviations that are considered dangerous and should not be used in a health care setting. The abbreviations included in this edition have been compared with the JCAHO "Do not use" list, and those that occur on this list are so identified.
Product Details
- Paperback: 544 pages
- Publisher: Saunders; 6 edition (October 23, 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1416058990
- ISBN-13: 978-1416058991
- Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches