english is my second language

[jktb]

enlish is my second language , some time i dont understand what nurses or

doctors say , but i am not that bad in this area , my biggest problem is

understanding the handwritting of doctors and nurses , unfortunetly , i dont

know the name of the handwritting they and i think most of you use when

writting in files and documents , can you tell me the name of the

handwritting and if there are any resourses to help me ..

thank youuuuuuuuu

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

JKTB,

Don't feel bad! Even for those of us who speak English as our primary language, understanding the writing in the chart can be a very difficult task. Everyone has their own style of documentation. Some people write in cursive handwriting, others in print. Some people use a LOT of abbreviations and acronyms, while others fully write out most of their words.

If you are in class or in the hospital and come across something that you don't understand, just ask. Not all nurses are helpful, but most of us are. When I'm working, I love answering questions from students. If you're in a lecture and you hear an unfamiliar term, write it down so that you can ask a friendly classmate, nurse, or instructor later.

Hang in there. There are many, many great nurses who speak English as a second language.