I am translating some instructions to Spanish, but doctors use a lot of abbreviations. Weight Bearing Status: WBAS RLE and NWB LLE -D/C Date- 05/06/2012 What do WBAS and D/C stand for? NWB to BL LE mean?
I think you need to have whoever is writing these instructions to write them so you can understand them. The shorthand is OK for the medical profession but not for a lay person.
These are abbreviations that are commonly used by orthopedic doctors when they order physical therapy (PT) or when they prescribe the amount of weight the patient can put on a foot and leg WHILE STANDING OR WALKING after the patient has had a knee (TKR) or hip( THR) replacement or a leg fracture (FX) and/or they have a cast on that leg or foot.
I think the abbreviations mean: Weight Bearing Status: WBAS RLE == Weight Bearing as Shown (WBAS) on Right Lower Extremity/Leg (RLE) [The physical therapist should have shown the patient how much of their body weight they could put on the Right leg and foot while walking with crutches or a walker and while transferring from one chair to another chair or the toilet or to the bed.]
NWB LLE -D/C Date- 05/06/2012 No Weight Bearing (NWB) on Left Lower Extremity (Leg)-- D/C Date- 05/06/2012 means: Discontinue No Weight Bearing (NWB) on this date-- 05/06/2012 [The patient can start to put some of their body weight on the Left Leg and Foot on 05/06/2012] [No weight bearing (NWB) means “that the person is NOT to place any of his/her body weight on the Left leg or foot. In other words—DO NOT TOUCH THE FLOOR with the Left Leg at ANY TIME. When the person is standing, they have to STAND ON ONE LEG (the Right Leg) only. When the person walks, they can only use their Right Leg so they are actually HOPPING if they are not using crutches or a walker while walking. ]
NWB to BL LE: No Weight Bearing (NWB) on BL LE (Bilateral Lower Extremities) or BOTH LEGS. [So the person CANNOT STAND AT ALL! They have to SIT AT ALL TIMES and slide from a chair to the wheel chair or to the bed or to the toilet using a transfer board (a wooden or plastic board that the person slides on from one seat to another seat or to the bed.)
This webpage has drawings of the various types of weight bearing. upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/rehab/Pages/weight-bearing.aspx
I hope that this helps. The patient that these orders were written for apparently had a knee or hip replacement OR they broke one or both of their legs or feet.
Weight Bearing Status: WBAS RLE and NWB LLE -D/C Date- 05/06/2012 What do WBAS and D/C stand for? NWB to BL LE mean?
WBAS=Weight Bearing As Suggested (?) (never seen it that way. Usually it's as tolerated).
RLE=Right Lower Extremety (Leg)
NWB LLE= No Weight Bearing Left Lower Extremety (leg)
D/C =discharge
NWB BL LE=No Weight Bearing -Bilateral (Both Legs) Lower Extremities. --------------------- Very poorly written orders. How do you only forbid weight bearing on the lower part of the leg without forbidding it at the upper portion of the leg (thigh) also? Maybe it was written that way to show where the injury or surgery was?
BuzzyBee, thank you very much, I actually think that the first option you gave me is possible. I will discuss it with my supervisor to see if that would fit. Thank you!!
Thanks a lot! I think it might be a typo and they meant WBAT... the problem here is that I do not have any way to get in touch with the doctors to ask them.
I think it’s WBAT weigh bearing as tolerated Right Lower Extremity, non weight bearing bilateral lower extremity. We may have it wrong though as this is a confusing order. Why say weight bearing as tolerated if the next order is non weight bearing to bilateral lower extremities. I would call the doctor to confirm that order and ask them what WBAS means. I did homecare and never saw this (WBAS).
WBAS - weight bearing and spasticity WBAS - weight bearing and stroke WBAS - weight bearing and stairs ? I suppose which one would depend on the patient being referred to?
Thank you!! I actually have access to several dictionaries and I found some amazing glossaries online, but I have been breaking my head with this two questions that I have. The main problem is that I have found several meanings for these abbreviations and I don't know which one it is because I don't know much about medicine.
Hugo, I asked in your other post if you had access to a medical dictionary. I think perhaps that might help you.
Are there any teaching hospitals in the area? Any affiliated with a university? There might be a medical library that could help you with your translation project.
This group of abbreviations sounds like something orthopedic in nature, perhaps referring to a fracture. But I have no idea what they mean. Maybe you could google "orthopedic abbreviations"?
Your profile states that you're caring for someone in a nursing home. Have you asked any of the staff for suggestions on your translation project?
I think the abbreviations mean:
Weight Bearing Status: WBAS RLE ==
Weight Bearing as Shown (WBAS) on Right Lower Extremity/Leg (RLE)
[The physical therapist should have shown the patient how much of their body weight they could put on the Right leg and foot while walking with crutches or a walker and while transferring from one chair to another chair or the toilet or to the bed.]
NWB LLE -D/C Date- 05/06/2012
No Weight Bearing (NWB) on Left Lower Extremity (Leg)--
D/C Date- 05/06/2012 means: Discontinue No Weight Bearing (NWB) on this date-- 05/06/2012 [The patient can start to put some of their body weight on the Left Leg and Foot on 05/06/2012]
[No weight bearing (NWB) means “that the person is NOT to place any of his/her body weight on the Left leg or foot. In other words—DO NOT TOUCH THE FLOOR with the Left Leg at ANY TIME. When the person is standing, they have to STAND ON ONE LEG (the Right Leg) only. When the person walks, they can only use their Right Leg so they are actually HOPPING if they are not using crutches or a walker while walking. ]
NWB to BL LE:
No Weight Bearing (NWB) on BL LE (Bilateral Lower Extremities) or BOTH LEGS. [So the person CANNOT STAND AT ALL! They have to SIT AT ALL TIMES and slide from a chair to the wheel chair or to the bed or to the toilet using a transfer board (a wooden or plastic board that the person slides on from one seat to another seat or to the bed.)
This webpage has drawings of the various types of weight bearing. upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/rehab/Pages/weight-bearing.aspx
I hope that this helps. The patient that these orders were written for apparently had a knee or hip replacement OR they broke one or both of their legs or feet.
WBAS=Weight Bearing As Suggested (?)
(never seen it that way. Usually it's as tolerated).
RLE=Right Lower Extremety (Leg)
NWB LLE= No Weight Bearing Left Lower Extremety (leg)
D/C =discharge
NWB BL LE=No Weight Bearing -Bilateral (Both Legs) Lower Extremities.
---------------------
Very poorly written orders. How do you only forbid weight bearing on the lower part of the leg without forbidding it at the upper portion of the leg (thigh) also? Maybe it was written that way to show where the injury or surgery was?
I think it might be a typo and they meant WBAT... the problem here is that I do not have any way to get in touch with the doctors to ask them.
We may have it wrong though as this is a confusing order. Why say weight bearing as tolerated if the next order is non weight bearing to bilateral lower extremities.
I would call the doctor to confirm that order and ask them what WBAS means. I did homecare and never saw this (WBAS).
WBAS - weight bearing and stroke
WBAS - weight bearing and stairs
?
I suppose which one would depend on the patient being referred to?
WBAS, I guess the wb is weight bearing....not sure for the last part
NWB Non Weight Bearing
LLE Left Lower Extremity
?
Are there any teaching hospitals in the area? Any affiliated with a university? There might be a medical library that could help you with your translation project.
This group of abbreviations sounds like something orthopedic in nature, perhaps referring to a fracture. But I have no idea what they mean. Maybe you could google "orthopedic abbreviations"?
Your profile states that you're caring for someone in a nursing home. Have you asked any of the staff for suggestions on your translation project?
I don't know about the others. Were you able to find any through Google? Out of curiosity I checked WBAS but found nothing.
Do you have access to any medical dictionaries?
The Physicians Desk Reference ("PDR") is an excellent source; medical malpractice attorneys used it frequently. But its focus is on drugs.
WBAT = weight bearing as tolerated. Maybe bad handwriting?