doing ourselves a disservice

[Altra, BSN, RN]

We do ourselves and each other a disservice when we respond to posts we haven't read carefully.

In just an hour of surfing today, I've seen thread posts including the following:

In response to an OP in which the opening line indicates the incident occurred in Australia, a poster states s/he "assumes this didn't take place in the US."

And in another post describing a situation in an LTC, a response suggests contacting the hospital department to which this person reports.

I encounter this at work too, when we get an email or memo clearly stating x ... and conversation for the next 30 minutes speculates on whether it said y.

I'm not talking about various interpretations where pertinent data is lacking ... I mean not reading what is written.

Stepping off soapbox ... thanks for listening.

[cmonkey]

I agree, but it's also incumbent on the poster to make it clear by writing clearly. I've seen plenty of posts where it's just too much trouble to try and decipher what's there, so I don't even bother reading it.

[AbeFrohman, BSN, RN]

Nobody listens anymore, just waiting for their turn to talk.

[themoreyouknow]

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly.

I also have tips to help ensure that the information is deciphered correctly.

For those posting:

* Use paragraphs. Yes. Paragraphs. Posts that are one giant box of sentences are hard to read and important information may be missed.

* Keep it simple. State the facts as objectively as possible if asking for input. If asking for help with a decision between choice A and choice B, list all the pros/cons for A, then list all the pros/cons for B. Jumping back and forth makes it difficult to discern which "choice" you are talking about and information may get missed.

For those responding:

* Read the responses. Sometimes what I miss in the post, I will catch when reading a response. It also helps to read the responses so I am not re-writing what someone else has already said.

~Sherri

"The new nurse thinks like a mom. The experienced nurse thinks like a lawyer."

[kcochrane]

I'm guilty of this. Some days I've just read something too fast, someone at home interrupts me or I just am too eager to respond to something without really reading.

[oramar]

I have been guilty of this myself. It is not that I totally skip things but that I skim so fast that I miss things. Point well taken, I will take more time in the future. Matter of fact I have said as much to myself recently.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Some of us have ADD and get easily distracted. I am one of them--not an excuse...just the way it is. =)

[shiccy]

So I'm assuming you're angry about people not reading correctly ...

Think of it this way - in school they teach you to 'read back' what family says. It shows them you're understanding what they're saying. Maybe they're doing the same?! I mean, probably not, but still

ex:

"I'm so sick of the food on these trays. Everything tastes like junk! I got fish today and every time I look at fish I want to puke!"

"You're dissatisfied with the food you've been getting. Maybe we can go over the menu tomorrow together and we can see if we can pick something that would be more to your liking?"

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I usually reply to long posts using the original quote and then answer the questions in a different color. It is easy to get confused when a post is not broken up into paragraphs.

[GM2RN]

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly.

I also have tips to help ensure that the information is deciphered correctly.

For those posting:

* Use paragraphs. Yes. Paragraphs. Posts that are one giant box of sentences are hard to read and important information may be missed.

Agree! Sentences with punctuation and proofreading are good too.

[rn/writer, RN]

it's hard to read small fonts, light colors, and small fonts in light colors.

i also wish people would use punctuation when they string everything together it's like listening to someone speak without ever taking a breath you can miss the meaning because you aren't sure where one thought ends and the next one begins this is frustrating.

i don't hold out for anything close to perfection. some highly intelligent folks have difficulty spelling, for instance. just make it user-friendly, so readers can get your meaning without straining their brain or their eyes.

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

I try to keep my posts as short as possible.