[nursejennie76]

Ok this may be a stupid question, but I started in a ER recently and we are not allowed to use the term SOB (shortness of breath), we have to use SOA (shortness of air) I have been in the health care feild for a number of years, and this was a first for me. Is this the norm now, did people find SOB offensive or something??

[Katnip]

Probably because patients hear or see the term and think we're referring to them as a "son of a...."

We still use SOB though, just not out loud.

Shortness of air just doesn't sound right.

[traumaRUs]

We use resp distress, not SOB either.

[ERNURSE4MS]

We still use SOB for symptoms reported but for documenting c/c(on our face sheet in the ER we have the c/c) we use difficulty breathing. Sometimes an old habit is hard to break. Like at my facility we can't use QD or QID or QOD still catch myself writing QD all the time.

[mommatrauma]

Hard to teach an old dog new tricks...we're supposed to use resp distress as well but SOB is still the norm..never heard SOA...

[ZASHAGALKA]

i prefer SOB and that's what we still use.

Why do I prefer it: cause when I want it to be, it's a double entendre.

LOLOLOL.

~faith.

[student4ever]

Originally Posted by ZASHAGALKA

i prefer SOB and that's what we still use.

Why do I prefer it: cause when I want it to be, it's a double entendre.

LOLOLOL.

~faith.

LOL, me too! We've always used SOB too, though have to be careful about saying it out loud. I was jotting down notes on my pad of paper on a pt who came by squad one day, and when the EMT told me he had "difficulty breathing," I wrote down (to save time) SOB. This poor elderly patient's wife was standing beside me, and I didn't realize that she could read what I was writing, or that she was paying attention. As I left the room, the wife pulled me aside and said in a perturbed tone, "lady, I don't know what kind of a day your having, but no matter what else is going on, you shouldn't be jumping to conclusions about my husband - he is the sweetest man alive!" I was totally confused as to what she was talking about, and questioned her further. "Honey, I just saw you write down that he's a son-of-a-b*tch, and I wanted to set you straight!" Unfortunately, I couldn't stop laughing, and she got even more upset - until I explained to her what SOB meant to us health professionals - fortunately, she laughed too!

[Dixielee]

I think it is PC run amok! I worked at a hospital that changed it to SHOB (shortness of breath), which worked pretty well, and was easier to remember than SOA. I think it is as stated above, so no one might be offended.

Sometimes I think we go overboard in an attempt to please all of the people all of the time. One place I worked would not let us microwave popcorn because it smelled good and patients who were NPO might want it. Of course we could microwave fish that made everyone including the staff nauseated!

[Judee Smudee]

My mom told me a similar story. One of her friends saw the physician writing SOB on her chart and became quite outraged. It must happen often.

[mtnmom]

we use DIB...difficulty in breathing.