Grammar Police

Nurses Professionalism

Published

Maybe I'm alone in my thinking (it sure seems that way sometimes), but I find the use of text speak/SMS language utterly annoying and unprofessional. It seems as though its use is becoming more and more prevalent and in situations that are totally inappropriate, in my opinion.

I may just be old-school (although I am relatively young), but using slang is just a no-no at work! Now, I understand there is a place for abbreviations in the healthcare field, but some things I have seen other nurses enter in a pt's chart (a LEGAL document, mind you) left me just shaking my head.

Our unit manager will sometimes text me on my days off if they are short: can u come in, we r short at 6. Seriously, you are the manager! Shouldn't you try to be professional?!?

Maybe I'm just overreacting :). I just tend to see it as the person makes themself look unintelligent when they communicate this way. I get it....it's faster, it's become acceptable and it's trendy, but it's just not for me.

Am I alone or does anyone agree/understand? Would love to hear what you all think!

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
If you have a degree that has required basic English and literature courses and you can take the time to spell out a whole word, I'm going to judge your writing.

I too think its nice when people speak english good. :cool:

As I said earlier, I don't think it's judgmental to dislike textspeak (and express such a position). However, by definition, it is judgmental to judge people based on proper or poor grammar. I, too, am definitely guilty as charged on that one.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
Thanks everyone for all the great points of view. It's nice to know I'm not the only one with this pet peeve! :) My husband is one of the biggest offenders I know and I give him (playful) grief over it all the time!

I think my world would be so incredibly peaceful if mine would just learn to conjugate 'to be' and use adverbs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
I too think its nice when people speak english good. :cool:

As I said earlier, I don't think it's judgmental to dislike textspeak (and express such a position). However, by definition, it is judgmental to judge people based on proper or poor grammar. I, too, am definitely guilty as charged on that one.

I dislike text speak and judge bad grammar. ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Bucky Badger RN took exception to my suggestion that older parents will be pleased to hear from their kids, text speak and all, and wrote:

"When will that day come, just so I'm prepared. I'm in my mid 40's, my older kids are 23 and 20. All 3 generations call and text on a daily basis. What may be your experience within your own family is not an indicator of how all families function."

When you reach a dignified age, youngster.

My oldest is *your* age, so: just wait.

(Or, possibly, take a remark intended as playfulness in a playful spirit. This one is intended as playful, too. Possibly a mistake on a Monday morning!)

Benedina

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

Text speak doesn't bother me as bad as straight up bad grammar/bad spelling. I was sitting with a nurse writing a long and detailed note in the chart one day, and I hate to say it, but... I read a bit of what he was writing, and knew that if I didn't know him (i.e. if I was a lawyer looking over a document after an incident happened, or a jury trying to figure out what kind of nurse he was), I would automatically assume he was totally incompetent and incapable of working as a nurse because of his lack of basic understanding of the English language.

I'm not going to write anything that makes me look like a first class moron that just made it through nursing school by the edge of my teeth and passed the NCLEX by cheating, which is exactly what some of those chart entries looked like. I offered to proofread for him before he hit submit, since he had said this patient's family had talked about suing the hospital and I was trying to cover his butt for him, but he refused. You just can't help some people.

I just think good spelling/grammar in a chart is a great form of covering my butt. Yes, the content is more important, but it's hard to make people take the content seriously if you look like the world's biggest moron.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

The activities director at my facility writes on a regular basis "resident is independented in her decisions and attends activities that appeal to her"

I'm not even able to make myself pronounce "independented"!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow, is THIS timely.

Today I had the bizarre experience of witnessing two teenagers text-speaking while SPEAKING. I kid you not. They each used the word "hashtag" WHILE SPEAKING. Not as a noun. Exactly as it's intended, on a device. But spoken out loud. Oh.My.Word.

Utterly ridiculous...and they looked and sounded like idiots!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OP, agreed 100%. I don't like shorthand text speak professionally or personally, and I am in the younger generation demographic, too. I find it elementary and tacky; always have.... :down:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care.
Wow, is THIS timely.

Today I had the bizarre experience of witnessing two teenagers text-speaking while SPEAKING. I kid you not. They each used the word "hashtag" WHILE SPEAKING. Not as a noun. Exactly as it's intended, on a device. But spoken out loud. Oh.My.Word.

Utterly ridiculous...and they looked and sounded like idiots!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I understand --- I mostly try not to use txt speak when txting my boss or coworkers. Then again, I believe in not making a huge effort or show to NOT fit in, ya know? So, I do use some of it just like everyone else I work with! However, I would not under any circumstances use txt speak in my nurses notes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

YES! Only my live-version idiots weren't trying to be funny.... :eek:

I've seen my future, and it's very Twitter-y.....sigh.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment