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.