Swearing: hugely unprofessional, mildly irritating or a normal part of speech.

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nursel56

7,078 Posts

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

loveoutloud - my grandma used to use a word to describe that "coorifice" - our patients come from so many walks of life. There's no need to possibly offend them with that. Sometimes (rarely) a word like ass could be used if and only if there's a history with a particular person - say a male CNA saying it jokingly to a retired serviceman in a longterm care facility who gets sick and tired of listening to all that girly-talk 24/7. We had a guy share an experience like that and it was clear the old guy was delighted by it . ..that is the exception though.

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,043 Posts

Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

The worst offenders where I work are the MDs. F this, an F that, and I don't mean "femur."

Nothing I say or could be said could match the horrible stuff we all see some nights -- dead kids, people permanently messed up because they got hit by a drunk driver, or beat into brain damage by the people who are supposed to love them. Some things, there's just not words for.

It's unprofessional around a patient. I just wish they'd tell the patients it's unprofessional to cuss us out for doing our job.

Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

I think depending on where you are its very unprofessional. I swear a lot but I also have a lot of self-control since I have kids and my husband is a non-swearer I don't do it very much unless I'm with my friends. People in my class definately do not swear much at all, so I guess I don't see it as much as everyone else seems to.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN

4,530 Posts

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

A sign of the times? I notice more of it over the past 5 years for sure. I only use it around my husband or girlfriends at work, but i notice myself falling into it more easily as I hear more of it around me..........

OCNRN63, RN

5,978 Posts

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I try, but am not always successful in avoiding the use of curse words in the break room. Most of them talk like truck drivers---and my boss is the worst offender of all of us! But then, they're all younger and they're used to tossing around the F bomb, while my generation tends to view it as the ultimate Bad Word and saves it for the end of the argument. :lol2:

However, I have rarely if ever used foul language in front of patients/residents. Their generation was much more formal (AKA well-mannered) and they don't want to hear that stuff, especially from a woman. I think it's disrespectful as well as unprofessional, and with the exception of the time I swore after knocking a full urinal to the floor in the middle of a night shift, I've managed to avoid it.

At home.......well, as my father used to say, "I need to stop that d*mn cussing---it sounds like crap!" Which is why I'm going to try giving it up for Lent. We'll see how well that works for me. :rotfl:

It's not just older people...I don't want to hear it either. Sure, I have cursed occasionally, but I have to say this trend of "f" this or "f" that is more a phenomenon of the younger generation. I blame the rap culture seeping into everyday life.

When hear someone who curses constantly, I think they're unintelligent and need a better education. There are more creative ways to express yourself.

miriamlpn

17 Posts

It is unprofessional especially around patients. I try to hold my tongue when working in front of others. I will slip every once in a while, but a continuous habit of it would just be unacceptable to me.

Flare, ASN, BSN

4,431 Posts

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

very unprofessional. Infront of peers in a relaxed situation, it may be more acceptable, but not when you are trying to convey yourself as a professional healthcare provider.

leenak

980 Posts

I work in a Corporate environment right now. I used to cuss a lot when I was in my early 20s but as I advanced in my degree and entered into the job market, I pretty much stopped cussing. I may do it here and there but don't do it within my work environment or at school. I just don't think it is very professional.

My husband and a few close friends are the only ones who have ever heard me cuss, and it's not that often! And it's usually just s--- or damn, and usually jacka--*L* I think I would die of embarrassment if I cussed in front of a patient! I have only heard one professor cuss, and that was in preconference and about problems with his wife and a friend. I attend a large NS and everyone, that I have seen, has been very professional!

DroogieRN

304 Posts

I don't swear, at home or at work. I was truly taken aback at the language my colleagues use when I first started working on my unit. I don't judge or preach, and I am used to it at this point, but I wish it were the exception rather than the norm. I don't know if I think the constant use of swear words conveys a lack of intelligence; I just think it's an incredibly lazy habit, and I really don't think people realize how they sound. The really cringe-worthy ones to me are the ones I don't (thankfully!) hear often, like "The C Word" and "Jesus ******* Christ;" those, I cannot stand. Others, sadly, are hardly a blip on the radar for me, because I hear them constantly.

That said, I think (without having any actual experience) that a nurse's shift must be like a war zone -- it's intense and stressful and a nurse is often experiencing many emotions at the same time, all while being literally responsible for people's lives, and sometimes the expletives are gonna fly.

Specializes in Utilization Management.

My dad has always said that cursing demonstrates a lack of intelligence because the offender is unable to come up with a more creative noun, verb, or adjective. I tend to agree. :cool: Other than that, it's extremely unprofessional and I have to fight the urge to 'shush!' the person and say 'watch your mouth!'.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN

4,530 Posts

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

So, when I say "puck it all" to my husband after I slam my finger in the drawer is that bad? :nono:

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