PEN The PEN Style Guide describes the language guidelines for patient education materials developed at Intermountain Healthcare. Key contributing departments are Patient and Provider Publications (Central Office)

and Pediatric Education Services (Primary Children’s Medical Center). The main sources for this Style Guide are Intermountain’s branding guidelines, the Associated Press Stylebook (AP), the AMA Manual of Style (AMA), Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (merriam-webster.com), E. Schwager’s Medical Usage and Abusage (Schwager), and Dorland’s and Stedman’s medical dictionaries. For some entries, we’ve deferred to the standards of major medical organizations. This Style Guide is a work in progress. Please send feedback to Patient and Provider Publications, c/o [email protected].

Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS

“In general, avoid alphabet soup” (AP). It

•• Emergency Department

AMA

Including guidelines for: •• Diseases

confuses people (even employees) who may not be familiar with the topic or department. Define (spell out) terms at first mention, and

•• Professional degrees

if it’s an important-to-learn term, consider putting it in boldface, too. Thereafter, you can use the abbreviation.

•• Medical abbreviations (dosages and other)

Don’t capitalize terms unnecessarily or get creative with boldface.

•• Organizations

Put the abbreviation in all caps, without periods, and follow with the full term in

parenthesis—or vice versa (full term followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis). Which to put first—full term or abbreviation—depends on which is the better known. •• Exception: use an organization’s preferred abbreviation and punctuation. Professional degrees take no periods and need not be spelled out. In cases where you

need to spell out a degree, avoid “bachelor’s” in place of “bachelor of science degree” (same with other degrees). Some lowercase abbreviations take periods; others don’t. Check the dictionary (and

ignore the AMA’s rules for “eg” and “ie”). Check medabbrev.com for a list of abbreviations to avoid/use. See “DOSAGE” entry for guidance re: this topic.

–– Not: E.D. or ED

Intermountain style

•• cystic fibrosis (CF)

AP

•• AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome )

medabbrev.com

–– Not: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) •• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) •• Intermountain Healthcare (Intermountain) •• Department of Health (DoH) •• Medical Payment Advisory Council (MedPAC) •• Tracy Vayo, MS •• Bob Bigbrain, MD •• Best: He received his bachelor of arts degree last year. –– Next best: He received his bachelor’s degree last year. –– Avoid: He received his bachelor’s last year. •• e.g. etc. et al cc

working draft: 6.2009

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PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

AGE

Use “younger/older than xxx years.”

•• This policy applies to patients younger than 35 years or older than 75 years.

AMA

•• NOT an age “above” or “below” or “more” or “less” than. Use hyphens for compound modifiers and with noun substitutes.

AMPERSAND (&)

Don’t use ampersands. Use the word “and.”

•• Exceptions: the ampersand is part of an organization’s or article’s proper name/title, or there’s a compelling formatting reason (in a table, e.g.).

annual, annually

Use “annual” to refer to an event or activity that happens on a yearly cycle.

•• Note: It’s impossible for a first-time event to be a “first annual” event since no cycle has been established.

bed rest

•• “A 5-year-old boy” or “a 5-year-old” •• Colds and Flu Fact Sheet

•• Welcome to the first-ever PCMC Tea Dance.

It’s OK to use “annually” as “yearly.” Write as two words (no hyphen).

•• bed rest

•• Identifies the organization and department •• Claims copyright using the © symbol •• Gives a contact phone number •• Gives the month and year of publication or review •• Includes a caveat or disclaimer indicating that material does not replace personal medical care

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working draft: 6/2011

AP

–– Not: Welcome to the first annual PCMC Tea Dance. •• Children should receive checkups annually.

All Intermountain education materials for patients should include a blurb that:

AP

–– But okay: The Brown & White Foundation

–– Not: bedrest or bed-rest

BLURBS

AP

•• Intermountain Healthcare Pediatric Education Services 801.662.3500 Rev.8/06 © Primary Children’s Medical Center 2006 All of the information contained in the Let’s Talk About . . . series is for educational purposes only. This educational information is not a substitute for medical advice or for care from a physician or other health care professional. If you have questions about your child’s health, contact your health care provider.

merriam-webster. com Intermountain style

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

BOLDFACE

Key points and important warnings may appear in boldface —and vitally important

•• A course of antibiotics will usually last 1 to 2 weeks.

notes and warnings may appear in boldface AND in all caps Bold unfamiliar terms when they are first defined —ideally this definition comes when

the term first appears. (Boldface rule holds even if the term has already appeared in a heading or subheading) If material includes a glossary, make sure that all bolded terms also appear in the glossary.

BULLETED LISTS

The stem should end with a colon if it’s not a complete sentence. If the stem is a complete

sentence, you can end it with a colon or a period. This is the stem, the phrase or sentence that introduces the list:

•• But: don’t use colons twice, in the stem AND in the bulleted items.

•• This is an item

in terms of capitalization, punctuation, and so on.

The items should be consistent and parallel

•• This is an item

CAPITALIZATION

To determine whether to capitalize a term, see the AP Stylebook, which prefers a down style, or consult a medical or regular dictionary. Some key rules:

•• Diseases and syndromes: capitalize only the part of the name that is a proper noun. •• Departments: use lowercase for words such as “department” or “team” unless they’re a formal part of the title.

Some local standards: •• Let’s Talk About series: titles are in sentence case

Basis and comments

Be sure to complete the entire course of your medication.

•• A colicky baby can be difficult, and it’s normal to feel frustrated. Yet no matter how frustrated you become, NEVER SHAKE YOUR BABY.

•• This is due to cholesterol, a yellow, waxy substance that is blah blah blah.

These guidelines allow you to: •• Eat •• Sleep •• Be merry •• Avoid: having colons twice—in the stem and in this last item—as shown here •• Genetic diseases include cystic fibrosis and Down syndrome. •• We spoke with employees in the Emergency Department and the Pediatric Education Services department.

AP Intermountain

•• Let’s Talk About…How to give medicine •• Fact Sheet for Patients and Families Safe Lifting and Transfer

•• PPP fact sheets and other education: titles are in title case

working draft: 6/2011

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PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

“baby feeding” words

These are all one word, hyphenated:

•• A bottle-fed infant enjoys regular bottle-feedings, so bottle-feed often.

merriam-webster. com

•• bottle-feed, bottle-feeding, and bottle-fed •• formula-feed, formula-feeding and formula-fed Breastfeeding and breastfed are one word, written solid.

•• But note: breast milk is two words.

•• A formula-fed infant enjoys regular formula-feedings, so formula-feed regularly. •• Breastfed babies benefit from breastfeeding.

La Leche League AAP ILCA CDC

•• Breast milk must be refrigerated.

buildup, build up

As a noun, it’s one word, written solid. As a verb, it’s two words —not hyphenated.

“cesarean” words

The terms “cesarean delivery” and “cesarean section” are not capitalized. “C-section” is hyphenated and has the initial cap.

caregiver, caregiving

These are one word, written solid.

•• Fluid buildup encourages infection.

merriam-webster. com

•• Blockage allows fluid to build up.

Schwager

•• If your baby was delivered by cesarean (C-section), you will need to stay in the hospital longer.

merriam-webster. com Stedman’s

•• Her caregiver was Molly. •• Molly provided caregiving.

checkup, check up

As a noun, it’s one word, written solid. As a verb, it’s two words.

ACOG

•• My checkup is tomorrow. –– Not: My check-up…

merriam-webster. com merriam-webster. com

•• The nurse will check up on you.

chickenpox

This is one word, written solid.

•• The child contracted chickenpox.

NIH

COMMA

Generally, we follow AP recommendations,

•• The flag was red, white, and blue.

AP

but see notes below. •• Serial comma: Use a comma to separate elements in a series, including the second-to-last item. (This is an AP exception.) •• Independent clauses linked together by a conjunction (and, or, but) should be separated by a comma. •• Clauses with the same subject do not take a comma.

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working draft: 6/2011

–– Not: The flag was red, white and blue. •• The physician presented his lecture, and the crowd applauded. •• The meeting gave important information but became monotonous in the second hour. [Meeting is the subject of both verbs.]

Intermountain

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

CONJUNCTIONS

It’s okay to begin sentences with “and” and “but” – especially when needed for emphasis.

•• It’s important to follow your discharge instructions. But you also need to listen to your body.

Intermountain

•• Don’t stop breastfeeding if you have mastitis.

Intermountain

•• But: avoid them if you’re aiming for a formal tone.

CONTRACTIONS

Use contractions most of the time. This lends

the friendly conversational tone we prefer for patient education. •• But: you may want to avoid them for important warnings or when you want a more formal tone.

DASHES •• -em dash •• -en dash (or hyphen)

Use the longer “em” dash to separate a phrase in a sentence. Use the shorter “en” dash (or use a hypen) for ranges of date, time, and dose. Or, use

the more-friendly “from…through” for date ranges, “to” for dose ranges, etc. Use a space on either side of the “em” dash, but no space on the “en” dash.

•• Do NOT drive yourself home after surgery.

•• Adolescents — like all pediatric patients — need special attention.

Intermountain style

•• The conference will run May 30–June 3 (or, “May 30 through June 3”). •• The starting dose is 10-20 mg (or “10 to 20 mg”). •• She entered her checking account number: 987654411-65455120. •• The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on that case.

AP

daylight saving time

There’s no hyphen, no plural “savings.”

day care

It’s two words, no hyphen.

•• Children in day care may have more colds.

merriam-webster. com

diagnose

Conditions — not patients — are diagnosed.

•• The patient’s asthma was diagnosed.

AMA

die

Patients are examined, or are evaluated for a suspected condition.

A person dies “of” something, not “from”

something.

–– Not: He was diagnosed with asthma. •• The patient died of complications.

AMA

working draft: 6/2011

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PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

DOSAGE

Do not use bid, tid, qd, qid, etc.—instead use:

•• Take 100 mg once a day.

AMA

•• writing about dose frequency / intervals

•• once a day

•• see also NUMBERS, UNITS OF MEASURE

•• three times a day, four times a day, etc.

•• distinction between the words “dose,” “dosage,” and “dosing”

•• twice a day Use “dose” (noun) to mean a quantity

administered at one time. Use “dose” (verb) to mean to give or prescribe a dose. Use “dosage” —not “dosing”—to mean a regimen.

“ear” words

Note that: •• eardrum is one word, solid •• earache is one word, solid •• ear drops is two words, no hyphen •• eustachian tube is in lowercase

–– Not: Take 100 mg qd.

•• Take each dose with a full glass of water. •• The nurse will dose the medication at bedtime. •• The usual dosage is 80 mg once a day. –– Not: The usual dosing is 80 mg once a day. •• Her ruptured eardrum caused an earache that ear drops could not relieve. •• Congestion was caused by blockage of the eustachian tube.

email •• see also “web words”

It’s one word, written solid.

•• email –– Not: e-mail or Email

ensure, insure

Don’t use the words “ensure” and “insure” interchangeably:

•• I’m calling to ensure that my new baby is insured by SelectHealth.

•• Use “ensure” to mean “to make certain.”

medabbrev.com

–– Not: Take 100 mg daily (unless this is total daily dose and dose interval doesn’t matter).

merriam-webster. com Stedman’s

•• Use “insure” with matters related to insurance.

ETHNICITY and RACE

Refer to race and ethnicity only when it’s directly relevant to the topic, and:

•• Refer to people as BELONGING to a specific racial, linguistic, or tribal group — or POSSESSING a specific ancestry/heritage/ descent —when important (e.g., discussing

–– …in people of Mediterranean descent.

genetic risk factors).

–– …among people of Chinese or Japanese ancestry.

•• Use a study author’s categories or a person’s selfdesignation; otherwise capitalize (but don’t hyphenate) adjectives describing groups: African American, Asian American, Native American, etc. 6

working draft: 6/2011

•• The disease was more common in African American and Native American populations.

–– … in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.

Seems to be the convention of NIH and CDC AP AMA

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

follow-up, follow up

As noun and adjective, use “follow-up” (one

•• This CPM has three main sections: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Follow-up.

merriam-webster. com

word, hyphenated).

As a verb, use “follow up” (two words).

•• At the follow-up appointment, she received her test results. •• The doctor failed to follow up.

“food” words

Generally with compound adjectives, use hyphens.

•• low-fat and low-sodium options

American Dietetics Association

With nouns, check the dictionary or Dietetics Association convention: could be

•• sugar-free cereal

(eatright.org)

hyphenated, one word written solid, or two words

Words with prefixes — “non,” “micro,” “mono” and so on — don’t take hyphens.

•• high-fat meats •• high-fiber diet, fiber-rich foods •• lunch meat •• whole-grain bread, BUT note: as a noun, it’s ”eat more whole grains” •• soybean, soymilk •• flaxseed •• Nonfat milk is full of micronutrients but has no monounsaturated fat.

fundraiser, fundraising

One word, written solid.

GENDER

For pronouns, change to plural to avoid specifying “he” or “she.” If that’s not possible, alternate gender between sections

•• Gender for pronouns in documents •• Sex vs. gender

•• Adolescents need support throughout their teenage years.

or documents (e.g., a Let’s Talk About… or Fact Sheet handout) to help maintain a balance.

•• The child will be having surgery on his leg.

Don’t use him/her, he/she, s/he or similar.

•• An adolescent will encounter frequent changes in her life.

Sex and gender are NOT the same thing:

•• Use “sex” when talking about biology (male or female). •• Use “gender” only when you’re talking about social identity (masculine or feminine).

•• This is a sex-linked disease; only men develop it. •• The gender of the doctor has changed, and she now goes by the name “Lily” rather than Lyle.

working draft: 6/2011

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PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

hand wash handwashing

As a verb, it’s two words meaning “to wash by hand.”

•• Please hand wash these delicate linens.

•• Note: don’t use “hand wash” to refer to washing your own hands: you mean “wash your hands.” Also consider “clean your hands” if using hand sanitizer is part of the discussion.

•• Please wash your hands.

As an adjective and a noun (meaning what we often do in healthcare) it’s one word, written solid.

healthcare

“heart” words

•• We created a handwashing video for new employees.

Intermountain style

•• Intermountain Healthcare provides healthcare.

Heartbeat is one word, not two.

•• Before her open heart surgery, she had an abnormal heartbeat.

merriam-webster. com

merriam-webster. com

It’s “open heart surgery” (no hyphen) —not

•• Complete the Advance Health Care Directive form.

home care

As a generic noun, it’s two words.

•• She provides home care.

homecare

•• Note: for proper nouns, follow convention — for example, Intermountain Homecare is one word.

•• She works at Intermountain Homecare.

As an adjective before a noun, it’s one word, solid.

•• She is a homecare provider.

When referencing Intermountain hospitals, include “Intermountain” first. On second

•• Intermountain Primary Children’s Medical Center

reference, you can drop Intermountain and shorten the title. Don’t abbreviate the title of an Intermountain

hospital with initials or an acronym. For documents directed to internal audiences only, you can drop “Intermountain.” However, spell out the full

title on first reference. On subsequent references, it is acceptable to shorten, but continue to avoid acronyms.

8

•• The training topic was handwashing.

It’s one word, written solid —except when it’s two words in the official name of an organization, form, etc.

“open-heart.”

HOSPITAL NAMES

Basis and comments

working draft: 6/2011

–– Not: PCMC •• The employees at Intermountain Primary Children’s Medical Center raised more than $100,000 in donations. Primary Children’s treats more than 40,000 patients annually.

Intermountain style

Intermountain style

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

HYPHENS

Use hyphens for compound modifiers thus:

AP

Including those for:

•• With “very” and all -ly adverbs, don’t use a hyphen. •• If compound precedes the verb, use a hyphen— unless the compound is common (big bang theory) or you have an adjective modifying both a main noun and an adjectival noun (local doctor group) •• If a compound comes after a verb, don’t use a hyphen.

•• The highly trained specialist had a very good day •• a well-defined regimen –– But: the regimen was well defined •• 24-year-old male •• Rainfall went into the water tank to be used for dry-cleaning. (Rainfall = written solid, drycleaning = hyphenated.) •• Utah beat BYU 27-14.

•• Compound modifiers •• Compound nouns •• Numbers

also see DASHES entry

Use for compound nouns per the dictionary usage: could be hyphenated, two words, or written solid Use like an –en dash to separate numbers in scores and account numbers.

Edie (Medical English Usage and Abusage) p.74

intravenous

Abbreviate this without periods.

•• You’ll be given the medication through an IV.

AP, Stedman’s

Let’s Talk About

The words should be italicized followed by an ellipsis when used with a specific title to

•• Let’s Talk About… Gavage feeding •• Recently, Primary Children’s Medical Center updated the look of the Let’s Talk About brochures.

Intermountain style

This is one word, written solid, both as a noun

•• The fireman was adept at lifesaving. •• The doctor employed lifesaving techniques.

merriam-webster. com

Hyphenate (and capitalize as shown) always, in all uses. Don’t need trademark.

•• We have 10,000 Luer-Lok fittings in this box. •• Not: ...10,000 luer lock fittings. •• Our floor uses “Luer-Lok” style connections.

(Primary Children’s education handouts)

emphasize the subject matter. See the capitalization entry for advice on capitalizing titles.

When used to describe the entire series, italicize the words Let’s Talk About , but drop the ellipsis.

less vs. few lifesaving

Luer-Lok

See the NUMBERS and the PERCENTAGES entries. and an adjective.

•• Note: if device referred to is not an actual BD Luer-Lok fitting or syringe etc. , say “a ‘Luer-Lok’ style of xxx. “ millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)

Use “mm Hg” (with a space).

•• 120/80 mm Hg –– Not: 120/80 mmHg

“medication” words

In most cases, prefer “medication.”

•• Medication can be an important part of treatment. •• Take all your medication just as your doctor advises. •• Bring all your medications with you to the hospital— including any over-the-counter medications.

•• Not: medicine, drugs, or agents •• Exception: in pediatric materials, you may want to use “medicine” rather than “medication.” Use “medication” without an “s” as both a singular and plural form.

•• Exception: you want to emphasize the idea of more than one drug.

AMA

working draft: 6/2011

9

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

NUMBERS

Avoid using the # symbol unless it’s part of a

From the IEEE

company’s name or address.

•• Step 3 –– Not: Step #3

Spell out integers one through nine and use numerals for 10 on, except in the following cases:

•• ..a report from six years ago [nontechnical]

•• Use numerals for one through nine when the integer is coupled with a symbol or unit of measurement (2°, 3 V) or when it’s important to note the exact number (technical)

•• …about two or three centimeters [approximate]

•• words vs. numerals •• degrees ° •• percentages % •• time •• ranges •• fractions •• amounts and comparisons, including –– less vs. few –– above vs. more than

•• Use numerals with percentages even for one through nine (a 5% drop; 3% responded; 3% to 6%). •• Use numerals for the time of day and, in other nontechnical passages with common units. •• Spell out larger numbers in idioms like “thanks a million.” •• Spell out a number at the beginning of a sentence or recast the sentence. With temperature degrees, use numerals followed by the ° symbol and the abbreviation for Celsius (C) or Farenheit (F) without spaces.

•• Place one or two witch-hazel pads on the stitches 4 times a day [non-technical, technical] •• Only about 2% of the group favored the changes. •• Twelve hundred subjects were enrolled. OR The study included 1,200 subjects.

With percentages, spell out the word “percent” when the number is spelled out, but use the % symbol with numerals. The % symbol

•• The patient’s temperature was 101°F.

follows the numeral without a space; in a series, repeat the symbol after each numeral.

•• The procedure succeeds 60% to 70% of the time.

Fractions: spell out for more casual uses, or use

•• Meet at 4 PM.

Ranges: prefer to use “to” and “through” to

•• See pages 33 through 40 [best], or See pp. 33-40 [okay]

numerals for more technical uses or in tables.

indicate a range, but okay to use a hyphen (or –en dash) if space is an issue.

•• About one-half of the class drank exactly 2/3 of their milk.

Use commas to separate hundreds from thousands, thousands from millions, etc., beginning with 1,000.

•• Less than 10% of the applesauce was consumed.

Use “less than” and “more than” for mass quantities (volume or mass), but also see

•• Fewer than 1,000 cases are diagnosed each year.

PERCENTAGES entry.

Use “fewer than” and “greater than” for numbers, individual things, but also see

PERCENTAGES entry.

Also, use “more than” when discussing quantity (not “over”). Avoid > and < symbols in patient ed; say “fewer

than” or” less than.” 10

•• …the program ran in 8 minutes [exact measurement]

working draft: 6/2011

•• Fewer interventions may not mean less care. •• The nurse has worked at Intermountain for more than 25 years. –– Not: the nurse has worked for Intermountain for over 25 years.

AMA AP

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

page(s)

In text, spell out the word.

•• For more information, see page three.

In tables, or when space is an issue, abbreviate (p. for page, pp. for pages)

percentages

Re: “less” versus “fewer” with percentages: When the percentage refers to something countable — e.g., women, patients — you can say fewer, even though normally a percentage is a single unit with which “less” would be appropriate.

Basis and comments

•• See pp. 3-5 •• fewer than 40 percent of households, BUT less than 40 percent of building materials

AP

•• fewer than 40 percent of Christmas lists, BUT less than 40 percent of good behavior •• fewer than 40 percent of potluck dinners, BUT less than 40 percent of the jello

“peri” words

See the PREFIXES entry.

PHONE NUMBERS

Include area codes for all numbers.

•• Phone: (801) 662-3500

If it’s a “regular” (not toll-free) phone number, set the area code off with parenthesis.

•• Toll-free phone: 1-800-784-8669

•• Note: this departs from official Intermountain style, but it’s warrented by patient feedback. If a number is toll-free:

•• Include the “1” prefix, and Indicate toll-free at the beginning of the listing. No parenthesis around the toll-free area code. Separate the seven digits with hyphens.

“post” words

See the PREFIXES entry.

PREFIXES

Most words with prefixes are written solid, not hyphenated, but check the dictionary (use a medical dictionary for medical terms). Some notes:

Including: •• “peri” words •• “post” words •• “pre-words”

•• You’re more likely to need a hyphen if the prefix ends with a vowel and the stem begins with the same vowel. •• Use a hyphen if the word following is capitalized. •• Use a hyphen to join double prefixes. •• Use a hyphen to help clarify meaning.

PRONOUNs

•• perioperative •• postoperative •• postmortem •• preeclampsia •• pre-existing –– Not: preexisting •• post-Parkinson’s •• sub-subparagraph •• While she recovered, she decided to re-cover her sofa.

Stedman’s

See the GENDER entry.

working draft: 6/2011

11

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

restroom

Write solid, not as two words.

•• The restroom is in the left.

RISK

As a noun: Say that a person has “a risk of”

•• What is my risk of getting AIDS?

expressing risk

getting a condition or disease As an adjective: Say that a person is “at risk

for” a condition or disease

CDC style guide

•• Men who have sex with men are at highest risk for AIDS.

Using “risk from”: This is okay ONLY when the

•• Risk factors for stroke include… (or stroke risk factor…)

risk means the possible consequence, not the possible cause.

•• The most serious risk from AIDS is death.

Risk factor: Say “risk factor for” a disease

Basis and comments

medabbrev.com

subcutaneous

Standard abbreviation is “subcut,” NOT “SC

TIME

Use a space after Arabic numerals.

•• 8 AM

AMA

hours of the day

Put no periods in designators.

•• 8 PM

AP

Designators are all caps (small caps preferred).

•• 12 noon

For 12 o’clock, specify noon or midnight. TITLES

for Intermountain education materials

Whenever possible, put the main topic keyword first in the title of the document About capitalization and italics:

•• Let’s Talk About series: after the LTA ellipsis, the actual titles are in sentence case •• The PPP Fact Sheet series: –– Use initial caps to refer to the PPP series of handouts. –– When referring to a specific Fact Sheet, put the topic-title in italics. –– You don’t need to use initial caps for the rest of the Fact Sheet tagline (for patients and families). –– Refer to both LTAs and Fact Sheets as “handouts,” not brochures, and note that the italicization for the two series of handouts is not the same (they’re more or less the opposite of one another, in fact).

toward

12

Use “toward” — NOT “towards”

working draft: 6/2011

•• Hyperemesis Care Process Model –– Not: Care Process Model for Hyperemesis •• Let’s Talk About…How to give medicine •• You can give a Fact Sheet to the patient. •• Give the Cardiac Catheterization Fact Sheet to the patient. •• See more examples of Fact Sheets for patients and families. •• Give the patient the appropriate Let’s Talk About… or Fact Sheet handout. •• He walked toward me.

AP

PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

UNITS OF MEASURE

Use lowercase for unit measures.

•• 20 mg

medabbrev.com

Also see the DOSAGE and NUMBERS entries

•• Exception: “L” for liter

•• 20 mL

Don’t put periods in the unit abbreviations.

•• 20%

Put a space between the numeral and the unit of measure.

•• 20°F

•• Exceptions: with % and °

•• 1.45 units/mL

Gram/grams: it’s abbreviated “g”— not “gm.”

•• 0.25 units/mL

Degrees: use symbol, plus capital letter to

•• 1 unit/mL

represent Fahrenheit or Centigrade (no space).

•• 20 g

In technical information, include decimal for fractions, and include leading zero for amounts less than 1 —but do NOT use a

decimal with whole numbers For medical units:

•• Don’t use the abbreviation “U” for medical unit — spell out unit •• Use the plural form when amount is more than or less than 1 •• Use the singular when the amount is exactly 1.0

television

Spell out the word or use the abbreviation TV.

•• TV killed the radio star. –– Not: T.V., tv, or t.v.

voicemail

Write this as one word, solid.

TRAX

Use all caps, preferably small caps.

Utahn

Use “Utahns,” NOT Utahans.

•• Utahns think that “Utahans” sounds silly —and they’re right.

Intermountain style

URLs

Format URLs consistently in lists and documents, and generally, do NOT include the

•• cdc.gov

Intermountain style

“www” or http:// at the front of web addresses. •• But note: if one of the URLs has to have prefix to work—then add the “www” prefix to all URLs.

•• intermountainlive.org •• primarychildrens.org

working draft: 6/2011

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PEN Key words(s)

Standards

Examples

Basis and comments

“web” words:

Write all these as one word, solid, all lowercase:

•• She sent me an email with the website address I needed.

Intermountain convention

•• website •• online

•• online

•• email

•• I have to go online to check this reference.

•• the Internet

•• email

workgroup

It’s one word at Intermountain.

•• Asthma Workgroup

Capitalize it only when used as part of proper noun.

•• The Primary Care Clinical Program has four main workgroups.

The “x” should not be capitalized. Hyphen is always required.

•• A chest x-ray may help your doctor diagnose your breathing problem.

x-ray

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•• website

It’s one word with an initial cap: the Internet .

working draft: 6/2011

AP

•• I looked it up on the Internet.

Intermountain convention

AMA, etc.