GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
Below are some common terms you may hear while in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU):
• Arterial blood gas (ABG) – a blood test used to help the health care team check how well the
patient is breathing.
• Arterial Line (A-line) – a tube placed in an artery, usually in the leg or arm, that measures blood
pressure. Blood for labs can also be obtained from the a-line.
• Bair Hugger – a blanket that constantly blows warmed air on the patient.
• Central Venous Line – a type of IV placed into a large vein in the neck, chest, or leg by the doctor.
It allows fluids/meds/blood products to be given quickly, blood tests/labs to be obtained, and
• Oral/nasal gastric tubes (OGT/NGT) – used to remove fluid and gas from the stomach to prevent
vomiting. These tubes may also be used for tube feedings and giving medications.
• Oxygen saturation (O2 Sat) – the amount of oxygen in the patient’s blood. Normal is greater than
90%.
• Palliative Medicine – part of the health care team that helps in the prevention and relief of suffering
during serious or life-threatening conditions.
• Pan Cultures – blood, urine, and sputum tests that check for infection.
monitoring of the central venous pressure (CVP).
• Paralytics – drugs that prevent the patient from being able to move.
• Central Venous Pressure (CVP) – a pressure in the heart. This gives the health care team an idea
of the patient’s fluid status.
• Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA or pain pump) – a pump that gives pain medicine through an
IV either continuously or at the patient’s demand.
• Cervical collar (Aspen collar) – used for neck and head injuries to prevent spinal cord damage.
• Peripheral In