Module # 2 Medical Terminologies and Abbreviations and Ethics in the
Profession
Medical Terminologies
A medical term has three basic parts – root word, the prefix, and the suffix. the root word is the
main part of the medical term that denotes the meaning of the word.
Examples:
colon – colon hemat – blood
phlebo – vein aero – air
The prefix is found at the beginning of the term and it shows how meaning is assigned to the word.
Examples:
a/an – without, absence poly – many
hyper – meaning increased/ above pre – before
The suffix is found at the terminal portion or at the end of the term. It also denotes the meaning to
the root word.
Examples:
-megaly – enlargement -emia – blood
-uria – urine -ostomy – to mak an opening or mouth
It is a rule that if the suffix starts with a consonant, a combining vowel needs to be used (usually
the letter o). the combining vowel does not change the meaning of the root word and is added in
order to make the pronunciation of the word easier.
Examples:
hemat + logy = hematology – study of blood
phlebo + tomy = phlebotomy – the process of cutting into the vein using a needle
The plural form of medical terms is made by changing the end of the word and not by simply
adding s, which follows the rule for irregular nouns.
Examples:
Abbreviations
Commonly encountered in health care practice that medical technology students should know.
DOH – Department of Health
CHED – Commission on Higher Education
VDRL – Venereal Disease Research Laboratories
AIDS- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIDs – Autoimmune disorders/diseases
AMI – Acute Myocardial Infarction
BUN – Blood Urea Nitrogen
2PPBS – 2 hours Postprandial blood Sugar
AFS – Acid Fast Stain
PCQACL – Philippine Council for Quality Assurance in the Clinical Laboratories
FBS – Fasting Blood Sugar
IN – Intravenous
HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IU – international Unit
ICU – Intensive Care Unit
K – Potassium
Na – Sodium
NPO – Nothing Per Orem
BAP – Blood Agar Plate
SGPT – Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase
HBsAg – Hepatitis B surface antigen
SGOT – Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
PPBS – Postprandial glucose test
µL – microliter
POCT – Point-of-care testing
RF – Rheumatoid factor
PTT – Partial thromboplastin time
CBC – Complete Blood Count
ESR – Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ASO – Antistreptolysin O
HCG – Human chorionic gonadotropin
AFB – Acid-fast bacillus
LDL – Low-density lipoprotein
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ethics in the Medical Technology Profession
Ethics
- is the moral code that guides how an individual should behave.
- it deals with moral principles.
- also about the individual’s search for meaning while dealing with human problems which may be
logical (problems of reasoning), epistemological (problems of the truth), cosmological (problems of
universe), ethical (problems of morality), aesthetical (problems) of art and beauty), or scientific
problems (problems of science)
School of Ethics
-deals with a diverse prescription of universal concepts and princi moralityples that serve as
foundation of moral beliefs.
For Donal Harrington, morality can be viewed in different perspectives – as a law, as an inner
conviction, as love, as personal growth, and as social transformation.
Ethical Relativism
- also known as moral relativism, is a school of ethics anchored on the principle that morality is
relative to the norms of a particular culture or society
- acknowledges societal diversity, that every society has a unique moral design and culture; and
people’s beliefs are greatly influenced by culture.
Ethical Pragmatism
- a philosophical approach or movement that began in the 1870s.
- It is more of a theory on knowledge, truth, and meaning rather than morality.
Ethical Utilitarianism
- school of ethics states that the rightness or wrongness of actions is determined by their
consequences.
Moral Issues
Abortion
- is considered illegal in the Philippines.
- Article II, section 12 of the 1987 Philippine constitution states that: The state recognizes the
sanctity of life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.
It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception
Euthanasia
- is the practice of ending a life intentionally
- is also considered illegal in the Philippines
- known as mercy killing, euthanasia is regarded as a merciful release of an individual from an
incurable sickness.
Voluntary euthanasia
- is when an individual gives consent to subject himself or herself to a painless death.
Non-voluntary euthanasia
- is conducted when the permission of the patient to perform the process is unavailable, like in the
case of patient in a deep comatose, or neonates born with significant and major birth defects.
Involuntary euthanasia
- is when the individual does not give his or her consent.
Genetic engineering
- is a controversial ethical issue because it involves genetic manipulations that perceived to be
against moral standards set by the society.
Genetic Screening
- is a procedure whose main purpose is to screen, choose, and select the genes for proper
detection of any genetic disease and other chromosomal malformations
- usually done for the early diagnosis of diseases.
Genetic Interventions are techniques such as genetic control, therapy, and surgery.
Stem-cell Therapy
- is a form of genetic engineering that makes use of stem cells to treat or prevent diseases.
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
-is popularly known as laboratory fertilization
Professional ethics
- covers the morally accepted behavior of individuals in the workplace.
- guide individuals in dealing with issues and conflicts in the workplace in order for them to remain
functional.
