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Let's Talk About Using Acronyms
Hello members, some of us are accustomed to texting, and using a lot of "shortcut" abbreviations. I even find myself doing it on Connect from time to time, even though I try not to do it.
Please remember that every single day we have new visitors and members in our great MAC & Bronchiectasis group. Imagine a new visitor reading the following sentence:
"Hello and welcome to MC, I'm the VM for the MAC &BE group. Here you can learn about saline nebs, AC, NTM, MABC, SOB, whether to go to NJH, or if you need an ID doc. People share their experiences with the Big 3, PEPs, Smart Vests, Bololos and Life Straws."
Do you feel like you need a translator? Do you think a newcomer might feel as if they have dropped in on a private conversation?
Please, let's try to use the full word/term/title the first time in any post. Then it's usually OK to abbreviate with the acronym.
Feel free to flag me if I start doing this.
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@sueinmn Amen!
I blame TV commercials. They become a game of acronym-scattering.
"Do you have TD with IBS-C that affects your T2D? Bizarromin lowers your A1C while measurably improving PAD and stabilizing LDL..."
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1 Reaction@scottrl 🤪🤣 Another post that almost made me spit my coffee on the keyboard! My daughters blame text-messaging.
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1 Reaction@sueinmn Ironic that in our brave new world of global instant telecommunication, confusion is more than keeping pace.
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1 ReactionReminder time! We are seeing a lot of new members recently and they are confused by our shorthand. I stopped counting last week after five different members asked what a previously used acronym meant. In common medical use, BE means Barium Enema, not Bronchiectasis.
I know typing things out is no fun - really, I have been typing one-handed for 2 weeks now and it is truly no fun with the longer words.
PLEASE - The first time you use a term in any post, even in a response, spell out the term and add the acronym in parentheses.
And no, don't plan to publish a list of acronyms, for three reasons. First, it would have to be vetted by Mayo staff and they don't need the extra task. Second, this would force members to go on a search to learn what terms in a post mean, and that is not user friendly. Finally, the list would need to be continually updated.
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9 ReactionsYeah., trying to figure out this disease and how to handle it, with so little help so far from pulmonologist. Basically getting all my help and information from here ... but it's overwhelming and slow and time-consuming and did I say overwhelming? when I don't know what anything means.
@sueinmn CAD could also mean Canadian Dollars - which is why defining acronyms would be so helpful, eh!
@scottrl yer a wee comic! 😆
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1 Reaction@scottrl 😆
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1 Reaction@sueinmn thank you for putting out yet another reminder about those dreaded acronyms!! I am one who struggles with deciphering acronyms and literally grit my teeth when I come across them!
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1 Reaction@sueinmn Glad you posted that "BE means Barium Enema, not Bronchiectasis" That was my fault. I thought I read somewhere that BE did stand for Bronchiectasis.
Since your first suggestion about acronyms I am conscious of it but probably have slipped a few times and not spelled it out. Now I know, what the BE acronym really means, thanks.
Barbara