Like it or not, writing is an essential skill and you will be judged (either harshly or favorably) by your ability to communicate well in the written language. This article highlights common grammatical pitfalls to avoid. The ability to write well will get you far in your nursing career and gives you the competitive edge in a very tight job market.
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Feeling overwhelmed by her many job duties, the director of nursing (don) hastily sent out the following memorandum to the nursing staff at her facility. Instead of it being a polished professional communication, the memo is difficult to read due to poor grammar and faulty use of punctuation.
After reading this memo, what sort of impression do you have of the don? Without ever having met her, could you even entertain the thought that she is a hard-working competent professional with many years' experience under her belt? Unfortunately, her poor writing skills have sabotaged her managerial and leadership credibility and make her look dumb. In fact, it looks like something a preteen in middle school would write:
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Their is a new attendance policy for all nursing staff. It's attached to the email. A copy will be placed in your hr manual. Your expected to review as their are changes. Everyone has a new record for there attendance. Also, the committee on worker safety are about to announce it's decision, everyone will be given their own personal copy of the committee's report. If their are any questions', feel free to contact me or hr.
Like it or not, writing is an essential skill in contemporary society and you will be judged (either harshly or favorably) by your ability to communicate well in the written language. People instinctively evaluate a person's professional abilities based on the use or misuse of grammar. It is just as important for you to hone your writing skills while in nursing school, as learning to give an im injection or put in an iv. The ability to write well will get you far in your nursing career and gives you the competitive edge in a very tight job market.
Common Grammatical Errors
A singular noun (such as "patient," individual," etc.) should always be followed by a singular pronoun (he or she - not "they") and vice versa.
Do not use a plural pronoun with a singular antecedent. Incorrect: a researcher must choose a population that best fits their hypothesis. Correct: a researcher must choose a population that best fits his or her hypothesis. Incorrect: it is important for healthcare professionals to stay current on the standard of care for his or her organization. Correct: it is important for healthcare professionals to stay current on the standard of care for their organization.
Avoid run-on sentences
Two or more independent clauses incorrectly fused together (generally by a comma) form a run-on sentence. To correct a run-on sentence, separate it into two or more sentences. Incorrect: Studies are conducted to determine the real and the true, researchers place great value on identifying and removing sources of bias in their study or controlling their effects on the study findings. Correct: studies are conducted to determine the real and the true. Researchers place great value on identifying and removing sources of bias in their study or controlling their effects on the study findings.
Avoid sentence fragments
A sentence fragment is a group of words that do not form a complete thought. Incorrect: the probability level at which the results of statistical analysis are judged to indicate a statistically significant difference between the groups. Correct: statistical significance is the probability level at which the results of statistical analysis are judged to indicate a statistically significant difference between the groups.
Avoid the incorrect use of an apostrophe
The apostrophe should be used to show possession. Incorrect: if there is evidence to support a researchers hypothesis, then the statistics are useful. Correct: if there is evidence to support a researcher's hypothesis, then the statistics are useful. An apostrophe should not be used to show the plurals of nouns (which, I have noted, is a common error among millennial students). Incorrect: a statistically significant result is when the results agree with those predicted by the researcher and back up the logical linking's developed by the researcher. Correct: a statistically significant result is when the results agree with those predicted by the researcher and back up the logical linkings developed by the researcher.
Ensure the correct use of "who" and "whom."
Incorrect: It is the critically thoughtful nurse whom realizes the need for adjustment to maximize quality of care. Correct: It is the critically thoughtful nurse who realizes the need for adjustment to maximize quality of care.
Where there are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings (homophones), take great care in ensuring that you are using the correct version to fit the context.
Most spell checker tools are useless in detecting an incorrect homophone. Examples: your, you're; there, their, they're; affect, effect; its, it's; to, too, two.
Always remember that it is a very competitive world out there and you are selling yourself. First impressions matter. Good writing skills are essential to success in all your career endeavors. One little mistake in grammar, spelling, or punctuation can diminish your credibility, and ruin your resume, cover letter, or an otherwise stellar presentation. Don't allow poor writing to put your career on the skids. Let your writing skills accurately reflect the competent professional that you are.
