Grammar errors at the workplace, just for fun :)

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So, it's bad enough when people make obvious grammar/usage flaws in places like allnurses, blogs, etc. What I find both more entertaining and somewhat depressing is when I come across it at work. Our unit director is awful about homonyms, and it get embarrassing sometimes, when I wonder who else might notice her slip ups (i.e., someone who is not a lowly floor nurse).

My favorites that I've come across recently:

"Check at nurse's station before entering room"

"Unit Counsel"

And the one that I could barely restrain myself from asking her if it was a purposeful pun:

A binder with the label "Opportunity's for Learning"

So, anyone have any others that they have come across specifically in the workplace, for all the world to see?

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

When the new IV tubing came out we were told to attend the inservice on the new "needless" adapters.

(needleless adapters)

Let me just add one more voice to the "AAUGGHHH! for "orientated". We orient our patients, you would think we would know the word!

By the way, I spell so badly I have to keep "dictionary.com" open in a new window when I'm posting on AN. I still read my posts over a few days later and find way too many errors. I sometimes wonder if I'm not borderline illiterate!- I also can't type worth spit so even when I can spell the word I often type it wrong.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
Are you sure about this one? I never knew this was wrong. Is everyone in agreement about this?

I think it had more to do about the husband at bedside part :D

I will say 'pt easily aroused by voice or noise...' Don't think I ever put 'easily arousable'...'husband at bedside'---see the humor, now.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
oriented and orientated makes me crazy, also. even the "higher-ups" use this term.....how about "i am so smarter"?

I get that same type of fingernail on the chalkboard feeling whenever I am told to 'revitalize' a patient :sfxpld:.

Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
How 'bout the English-speaking PA student who called it a "seth-ta-scope!"

Do they also refer to a 'thermo meter'?

Hey, could you ask them to pronounce 'sphygnomanometers' :clown: ?

(I know, I know, 'hey' is for horses; but, I just couldn't resist)

Great thread! I'm the queen of the grammar police (impressive title, eh??) where I work! On boards like this one and in informal stuff, I'm pretty relaxed about it. But the basic easy stuff like your/you're then/than still grates. If I am reading something professional or published (e.g., a novel) and I find errors, that is just too much for me to handle!!!

Some of the ones that have been getting me lately:

-Would OF / Could OF / Should OF - NO!!!!!!!!!! No no no no no! It's Would'VE! It's a contraction of WOULD and HAVE! Come on!!!!!

-Everyday vs. every day. Everyday is an adjective meaning that something is ordinary or routine. Every day means that something occurs or exists on every day of the week. Same thing goes for sometimes vs. some times.

-As much as incorrect pronunciation gets to me, I can't fault people misprnouncing medical terms - some are just regional or based on the person wh taught you the word. Example: malleolus. I've heard "mall-ee-OH-lus" and "mul-LAY-lus". But one girl at work says "spootum" and it cracks me up every time!!!

+ Add a Comment