| Code | Display | Definition |
| triage-emergency |
Emergency |
Needs a clinician immediately. An emergency sign is present. |
| triage-priority |
Priority |
Needs a clinician within fifteen minutes. A priority sign is present. |
| triage-less-urgent |
Less urgent |
Can safely wait in the queue. |
| triage-well-baby |
Well baby |
Attending for a routine check, not for illness. |
| grade-absent |
0 — absent |
The finding is not present. |
| grade-mild |
+ — mild |
The finding is present and mild. |
| grade-severe |
+++ — severe |
The finding is present and severe. |
| avpu-alert |
A — alert |
Awake and alert. |
| avpu-verbal |
V — responds to voice |
Responds to voice but is not fully alert. |
| avpu-pain |
P — responds to pain |
Responds only to a painful stimulus. |
| avpu-unresponsive |
U — unresponsive |
Does not respond to a painful stimulus. |
| oedema-none |
None |
No oedema. |
| oedema-feet |
Feet |
Oedema of the feet only. |
| oedema-knee |
To the knee |
Oedema extending to the knees. |
| oedema-face |
Face |
Oedema involving the face, which is the most severe grade. |
| umbilicus-normal |
Normal |
The cord stump is clean and dry. |
| umbilicus-pus |
Pus |
The cord stump is discharging pus. |
| umbilicus-pus-and-redness |
Pus and red skin |
The cord stump is discharging pus and the surrounding skin is red, which is periumbilical cellulitis. |
| cord-fresh |
Fresh |
The cord is still fresh. |
| cord-dry |
Dry |
The cord has dried. |
| cord-infected |
Infected |
The cord is infected. |
| pmtct-positive |
Positive |
The mother is known to be HIV positive and in the PMTCT programme. |
| pmtct-negative |
Negative |
The mother tested HIV negative. |
| pmtct-unknown |
Unknown |
The mother's status could not be established. |
| delivery-svd |
SVD |
Spontaneous vaginal delivery. |
| delivery-breech |
Breech |
Breech vaginal delivery. |
| delivery-caesarean |
C/S |
Caesarean section. |
| delivery-assisted-vacuum |
Vacuum |
Assisted vaginal delivery by vacuum extraction. |
| delivery-assisted-forceps |
Forceps |
Assisted vaginal delivery by forceps. |
| place-of-birth-home |
Home |
Born at home. |
| place-of-birth-hospital |
Hospital |
Born in a health facility. |
| place-of-birth-other |
Other |
Born somewhere other than home or a facility, such as in transit. |
| lie-longitudinal |
Longitudinal |
The fetus lies along the axis of the uterus. |
| lie-transverse |
Transverse |
The fetus lies across the uterus. |
| lie-oblique |
Oblique |
The fetus lies obliquely. |
| membranes-intact |
Intact |
The membranes are intact. |
| membranes-ruptured |
Ruptured |
The membranes have ruptured. |
| placenta-complete |
Complete |
Placenta and membranes delivered complete. |
| placenta-incomplete |
Incomplete |
Placenta or membranes incomplete, so the uterus must be explored. |
| perineum-intact |
Intact |
The perineum is intact. |
| perineum-tear |
Tear |
The perineum tore. |
| perineum-episiotomy |
Episiotomy repaired |
An episiotomy was performed and repaired. |
| anaesthesia-general |
General |
General anaesthesia. |
| anaesthesia-spinal |
Spinal |
Spinal anaesthesia. |
| anaesthesia-regional-block |
Regional block |
A peripheral or plexus block. |
| anaesthesia-sedation |
Sedation |
Conscious sedation. |
| anaesthesia-local |
Local infiltration |
Local infiltration by the operator. |
| check-confirmed |
Confirmed |
The item was checked and confirmed. |
| check-not-applicable |
Not applicable |
The item does not apply to this case. |
| check-not-done |
Not done |
The item was not checked. |
| phase-sign-in |
Sign in — before induction of anaesthesia |
The first phase, with at least the nurse and the anaesthetist present. |
| phase-time-out |
Time out — before skin incision |
The second phase, with the nurse, the anaesthetist and the surgeon present. |
| phase-sign-out |
Sign out — before the patient leaves the operating room |
The third phase, with the nurse, the anaesthetist and the surgeon present. |
| access-av-fistula |
Arteriovenous fistula |
A surgically created arteriovenous fistula. |
| access-av-graft |
Arteriovenous graft |
A prosthetic arteriovenous graft. |
| access-tunnelled-catheter |
Tunnelled catheter |
A cuffed, tunnelled central venous catheter. |
| access-temporary-catheter |
Temporary catheter |
A non-tunnelled temporary central venous catheter. |
| donor-replacement |
Replacement |
Donating to replace blood used for a named patient. |
| donor-voluntary |
Voluntary |
Donating voluntarily, for no named recipient. |
| donor-autologous |
Autologous |
Donating for their own later use. |
| donation-normal |
Normal |
A whole-blood collection. |
| donation-apheresis |
Apheresis |
A component collection by apheresis. |
| line-first |
First line |
First-line therapy. |
| line-second |
Second line |
Second-line therapy, after progression or intolerance on first line. |
| line-third |
Third line |
Third-line therapy. |
| line-subsequent |
Fourth line or later |
Fourth-line therapy or beyond. |
| yes |
Yes |
Yes. |
| no |
No |
No. |
| not-known |
Not known |
The answer could not be established. |
| abdominal-ultrasound |
Abdominal ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the abdomen. |
| pelvic-ultrasound |
Pelvic ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the pelvis. |
| kub-ultrasound |
KUB ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. |
| early-obstetric-ultrasound |
Early obstetric ultrasound |
First-trimester dating and viability scan. |
| routine-obstetric-ultrasound |
Routine obstetric ultrasound |
Routine growth and anatomy scan. |
| obstetric-ultrasound-biophysical-profile |
Obstetric ultrasound with biophysical profile |
Obstetric scan including the biophysical profile. |
| thyroid-ultrasound |
Thyroid ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the thyroid. |
| scrotal-ultrasound |
Scrotal ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the scrotum. |
| breast-ultrasound |
Breast ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the breast. |
| musculoskeletal-ultrasound |
Musculoskeletal or regional ultrasound |
Ultrasound of a joint, muscle or soft-tissue region. |
| cranial-ultrasound |
Cranial ultrasound |
Ultrasound of the head, through the fontanelle in an infant. |
| renal-doppler |
Renal Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the renal vessels. |
| carotid-doppler |
Carotid Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the carotid arteries. |
| upper-limb-venous-doppler |
Upper limb venous Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the upper limb veins. |
| upper-limb-arterial-doppler |
Upper limb arterial Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the upper limb arteries. |
| lower-limb-venous-doppler |
Lower limb venous Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the lower limb veins, usually for deep vein thrombosis. |
| lower-limb-arterial-doppler |
Lower limb arterial Doppler ultrasound |
Doppler study of the lower limb arteries. |
| upper-gi-endoscopy |
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy |
Endoscopy of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. |
| colonoscopy |
Colonoscopy |
Endoscopy of the whole colon. |
| flexible-sigmoidoscopy |
Flexible sigmoidoscopy |
Endoscopy of the rectum and sigmoid colon. |
| ercp |
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography |
Endoscopic cannulation of the biliary and pancreatic ducts, with contrast. |
| pulse-normal |
Normal |
Peripheral pulse of normal volume. |
| pulse-weak |
Weak |
Peripheral pulse weak or thready. |
| warm-to-hand |
Hand |
Skin warm as far as the hand — normal peripheral perfusion. |
| warm-to-elbow |
Elbow |
Skin warm only as far as the elbow — the extremities are cold. |
| warm-to-shoulder |
Shoulder |
Skin warm only as far as the shoulder — the worst grade the sheet records. |
| malaria-blood-slide |
Blood slide |
Malaria microscopy on a blood slide. |
| malaria-rapid-test |
Rapid test |
Malaria rapid diagnostic test. |
| review-medical-6-hours |
Medical review within 6 hours |
The child is to be seen by a clinician within six hours. |
| review-priority-nursing |
Priority nursing observations |
The child is to be kept on priority nursing observations. |
| capillary-refill-under-2s |
Under 2 seconds |
Capillary refill returns in under two seconds. |
| capillary-refill-2-to-3s |
2 to 3 seconds |
Capillary refill takes two to three seconds. |
| capillary-refill-over-3s |
Over 3 seconds |
Capillary refill takes more than three seconds, which is shock. |
| colour-pink |
Pink |
The baby is pink. |
| colour-blue |
Blue |
The baby is blue. |
| round-morning |
Morning |
The morning round — the chart's M column. |
| round-evening |
Evening |
The evening round — the chart's E column. |
| round-night |
Night |
The night round — the chart's N column. |
| pain-mild |
Mild |
Mild pain, as the triage sheet bands it. |
| pain-moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate pain. |
| pain-severe |
Severe |
Severe pain. A priority sign by ETAT+. |
| referral-clinic |
Clinic |
Referred from a clinic. |
| referral-ward |
Ward |
Referred from a ward. |
| referral-self-or-private |
Private, staff or self |
Came without an internal referral — privately, as a member of staff, or self-referred. The three the palliative care sheet prints separately, which all mean the same thing for the service's own workflow. |
| consciousness-alert |
Alert |
Awake and alert. |
| consciousness-sedated |
Sedated |
Sedated. |
| consciousness-agitated |
Agitated |
Agitated. |
| modality-x-ray |
X-ray |
A plain radiograph. |
| modality-ultrasound |
Ultrasound |
An ultrasound study. |
| consent-general-operation |
General operation or treatment |
The hospital's general consent form for an operation or treatment. |
| consent-endoscopy |
Endoscopy |
The endoscopy-specific consent form. |
| consent-anti-cancer-therapy |
Systemic anti-cancer therapy |
The cancer centre's consent form for chemotherapy, hormonal or targeted therapy. |
| consenter-patient |
The patient themselves |
The patient is giving their own consent. |
| consenter-next-of-kin |
Next of kin or guardian |
Consent is being given by the next of kin or a guardian, because the patient cannot. |
| arm-power-5 |
Normal power |
Arm power: normal. |
| arm-power-4 |
Mild weakness |
Arm power: mild weakness. |
| arm-power-3 |
Severe weakness |
Arm power: severe weakness. |
| arm-power-2 |
Spastic flexion |
Arm power: spastic flexion. |
| arm-power-1 |
Extension |
Arm power: extension only. |
| arm-power-0 |
No response |
Arm power: no response. |
| leg-power-4 |
Normal power |
Leg power: normal. |
| leg-power-3 |
Mild weakness |
Leg power: mild weakness. |
| leg-power-2 |
Severe weakness |
Leg power: severe weakness. |
| leg-power-1 |
Extension |
Leg power: extension only. |
| leg-power-0 |
No response |
Leg power: no response. |
| pupil-brisk |
Brisk |
Pupil reacts briskly to light. |
| pupil-sluggish |
Sluggish |
Pupil reacts sluggishly to light. |
| pupil-fixed |
Fixed |
Pupil does not react to light. |
| pupil-closed |
Closed |
Eye closed — the pupil could not be assessed. Distinct from fixed, which is a finding. |
| oesophagogastroduodenoscopy |
Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy |
Endoscopy of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. The form spells it OESOPHAGAGASTRODUODENOSCOPY. |
| oesophagogastroscopy |
Oesophagogastroscopy |
Endoscopy of the oesophagus and stomach. |
| oesophagoscopy |
Oesophagoscopy |
Endoscopy of the oesophagus alone. |
| rectosigmoidoscopy |
Rectosigmoidoscopy |
Endoscopy of the rectum and sigmoid colon. |
| colonoscopy-investigation |
Colonoscopy |
Endoscopy of the whole colon, as recorded on the investigation form. |
| packed-red-blood-cells |
Packed red blood cells |
Red cells with most of the plasma removed. |
| fresh-frozen-plasma |
Fresh frozen plasma |
Plasma frozen within hours of collection. |
| platelet-concentrate |
Platelet concentrate |
Platelets concentrated from whole blood or collected by apheresis. |
| whole-blood |
Whole blood |
Unseparated blood as collected. |
| urgency-desperate |
Desperate |
Needed immediately — the patient is bleeding now. |
| urgency-urgent |
Urgent |
Needed within hours. |
| urgency-elective |
Elective |
Planned, for a scheduled procedure. |
| abo-a |
A |
Blood group A. |
| abo-b |
B |
Blood group B. |
| abo-ab |
AB |
Blood group AB. |
| abo-o |
O |
Blood group O. |
| rh-positive |
Positive |
Rhesus D positive. |
| rh-negative |
Negative |
Rhesus D negative. |
| xmatch-compatible |
Compatible |
Cross-match compatible — the unit may be issued. |
| xmatch-incompatible |
Incompatible |
Cross-match incompatible — the unit must not be issued. |
| decline-care |
Care in the ward |
Refusing ward care — the patient is leaving. |
| decline-procedure |
A procedure |
Refusing a specific procedure. |
| decline-assessment |
An assessment or investigation |
Refusing an assessment or investigation. |
| decline-destination-home |
Home |
Going home. |
| decline-destination-other-hospital |
Hospital of choice |
Transferring to a hospital of their own choosing. |
| vent-mode-cmv |
CMV |
Controlled mandatory ventilation, as printed on the ICU observation chart. |
| vent-mode-simv |
SIMV |
Synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation. |
| vent-mode-cpap |
CPAP |
Continuous positive airway pressure. |
| vent-mode-psv |
PSV |
Pressure support ventilation. |
| vent-mode-spontaneous |
Spontaneous |
Breathing spontaneously, off mandatory ventilation. |
| position-supine |
Supine |
Patient positioned on the back. |
| position-left-lateral |
Left lateral |
Patient turned onto the left side. |
| position-right-lateral |
Right lateral |
Patient turned onto the right side. |
| position-prone |
Prone |
Patient positioned face down. |
| position-semi-fowler |
Semi-Fowler |
Head of bed raised between 30 and 45 degrees. |
| conscious-fully |
Fully conscious |
Answers questions intelligently, as the head injury chart words it. |
| conscious-confused |
Conscious but confused |
Answers simple questions only. |
| conscious-semi |
Semi conscious |
Responds to pain only. |
| conscious-coma |
Coma |
No response to pain. |
| finding-present |
Present |
The finding was observed. |
| finding-absent |
Absent |
The finding was looked for and not observed. |
| injury-chest |
Chest |
Chest injury, from the other-injuries tick list on the head injury chart. |
| injury-abdomen |
Abdomen |
Abdominal injury. |
| injury-arm |
Arm |
Arm injury. |
| injury-leg |
Leg |
Leg injury. |
| injury-neck |
Neck |
Neck injury. |
| injury-spine |
Spine |
Spinal injury. |
| feed-breast |
Breast feeding |
Fed at the breast. |
| feed-ebm |
Expressed breast milk |
Fed the mother’s own expressed milk. |
| feed-term-formula |
Term formula |
Fed a term infant formula. |
| feed-preterm-formula |
Pre-term formula |
Fed a preterm infant formula. |
| route-cup |
Cup |
Fed by cup. |
| route-ngt |
Nasogastric tube |
Fed through a nasogastric tube. |
| route-ogt |
Orogastric tube |
Fed through an orogastric tube. |
| newborn-category-a |
Category A |
Acutely ill on ventilator, CPAP or oxygen, as graded at the foot of the newborn comprehensive chart. |
| newborn-category-b |
Category B |
Stabilising on intensive phototherapy, IV fluids and assisted feeds. |
| newborn-category-c |
Category C |
A stable baby. |
| oxygen-prongs |
Nasal prongs |
Oxygen given through nasal prongs. |
| oxygen-non-rebreather |
Non-rebreather mask |
Oxygen given through a non-rebreather mask. |
| oxygen-bub |
Bubble CPAP |
Oxygen given through bubble CPAP. |
| art-azt |
AZT |
Zidovudine prophylaxis, as printed on the newborn handover form. |
| art-nvp |
NVP |
Nevirapine prophylaxis. |
| lab-urgency-desperate |
Desperate |
The most urgent of the three degrees the lab requisition prints. |
| lab-urgency-urgent |
Urgent |
The middle degree of urgency. |
| lab-urgency-routine |
Routine |
The routine degree of urgency, as the lab forms word it — the blood requisition says "elective" instead. |
| rating-poor |
Poor |
The lowest of the four ratings on the satisfaction questionnaire. |
| rating-fair |
Fair |
The second of four. |
| rating-good |
Good |
The third of four. |
| rating-excellent |
Excellent |
The highest of the four. |
| resus-dnr |
Do not resuscitate |
A recorded decision not to attempt resuscitation. |
| resus-full |
Full resuscitation |
A recorded decision that resuscitation is to be attempted. |
| body-part-home |
Taken home |
The removed body part is released to the family. |
| body-part-hospital |
Disposed by the hospital |
The removed body part is disposed of by the hospital. |
| mortuary-from-ward |
From a ward of this hospital |
The body came from a ward here, so the deceased was a patient. |
| mortuary-from-casualty |
From casualty |
The body came from casualty. |
| mortuary-from-home |
From home |
The body was brought from home; the deceased may never have been a patient here. |
| mortuary-from-other-facility |
From another facility |
The body was transferred from another facility, with a permit. |
| mortuary-police-case |
Police case |
The body was brought by the police, under an OB number. |
| dressing-grade-b |
B |
The first of the three grading letters printed on the surgical dressing sheet. The sheet does not expand the letters anywhere on it. |
| dressing-grade-m |
M |
The second of the three grading letters printed on the surgical dressing sheet. |
| dressing-grade-s |
S |
The third of the three grading letters printed on the surgical dressing sheet. |
| admitted-from-opd |
Out-patient department |
Admitted from the out-patient department. |
| admitted-from-casualty |
Casualty |
Admitted from casualty. |
| arrival-walked |
Walked |
Arrived on foot. |
| arrival-ambulance |
Ambulance |
Arrived by ambulance. |
| arrival-wheelchair |
Wheelchair |
Arrived by wheelchair. |
| arrival-cart |
Cart |
Arrived on a cart or trolley, as the admission form words it. |
| chronic-tb |
Tuberculosis |
From the chronic illness tick list on the admission form. |
| chronic-hiv |
HIV |
The admission form prints this column as CD4. |
| chronic-arthritis |
Arthritis |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-hypertension |
Hypertension |
The admission form prints this as HPN. |
| chronic-pneumonia |
Pneumonia |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-malaria |
Malaria |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-diabetes |
Diabetes |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-skin |
Skin disease |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-cardiac |
Cardiac disease |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-renal |
Renal disease |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| chronic-psychiatric |
Psychiatric illness |
The admission form prints this as Psych. |
| chronic-carcinoma |
Carcinoma |
From the chronic illness tick list. |
| presentation-cephalic |
Cephalic |
Head presenting. |
| presentation-breech |
Breech |
Buttocks or feet presenting. |
| presentation-shoulder |
Shoulder |
Shoulder presenting, with the fetus lying transversely. |
| presentation-face |
Face |
Face presenting. |
| presentation-brow |
Brow |
Brow presenting. |
| bowels-opened |
Opened |
Bowels opened. |
| bowels-not-opened |
Not opened |
Bowels not opened. |
| milk-breast |
Breast milk |
Expressed or direct breast milk, as the milk feeding chart prints it. |
| milk-nan |
NAN formula |
The formula the milk feeding chart names by its brand column. |
| urine-clear |
Clear |
Clear irrigation return. |
| urine-straw |
Straw |
Straw-coloured return. |
| urine-rose |
Rose |
Rose or lightly blood-tinged return. |
| urine-blood-stained |
Blood stained |
Frankly blood-stained return. |
| urine-clots |
With clots |
Return carrying clots -- the finding that stops an irrigation and calls a surgeon. |