Instructors making up words *rant*

Nursing Students General Students

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OK, just a little rant here. I know this is nursing, not English, but it bugs me so much when my instructors don't use proper words!! Every single one of them says "malnutritioned" instead of "malnourished," and the other day, one said "ethnicicity" instead of "ethnicity." The worst part is, students are starting to use these too!! There are tons and tons of misspellings on our notes as well. I know these are smart people, but I don't understand how they have masters' and doctorates and still can't use proper English. They even butcher medical terms and then wonder why doctors think they're stupid. Has anyone else run across this type of thing?

It drives me crazy. As educated as some of these gals are, you'd think they could at least speak properly!

My latest irritation - my med surg prof says vasodilatation instead of vasodilation, along with salva for saliva. And she gets angry for us having to ask her to repeat herself? Yeesh!

Another thing that bugs me - when covering complex topics. We'll ask a question, the prof won't fully know the answer herself, so she says, "you don't have to know that/how it works, just write it down." Ugh.

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry.

We must go to the same school, because a few teachers at my school are like that too. Now, all are at least at the MSN level; you'd think that in order to get that far they would have had to speak correctly! But I agree with you...they talk like that and then wonder why doctors or peers look down upon them. :rolleyes:

My latest irritation - my med surg prof says vasodilatation instead of vasodilation, along with salva for saliva.

I think your med surg prof and my patho prof went to the same school...

I heard "vasodilitation" all through that semester. One time someone asked her if it was the same as vasodilation and she said "Yes, but I just say it that way."

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree completely -- and have always wondered about the quality of the schools such people attended. Apparently, they attended schools that did not penalize them for such mistakes. As difficult as nursing school can be, some schools need to be a little tougher -- and emphasize the importance of being an educated person in general and presenting yourself as such.

That's what happens in a culture where the the intellectual, the theoretical, the "liberal arts," etc. are not considered as important as the technical skills.

llg

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I have one instructor, bless her heart, who says "parental" instead of "parenteral."

In reference to cervixes and women in labor, I've heard a LOT of health professionals use the term "dilatation" instead of "dilation." Maybe it can be used interchangeably?

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

"Blood must be dethawed prior to using"

Dethawed?????????

I have one instructor, bless her heart, who says "parental" instead of "parenteral."

Wow, even our notes say "parental" medications. The test, too. I forgot about that one. I guess this is a problem in every nursing school. :o

How about being "orientated" to a new position! :rolleyes: or giving an injection of "phenergrin"! :rolleyes: :rotfl: and MANY more I am not able to recall right now! :chuckle

In reference to cervixes and women in labor, I've heard a LOT of health professionals use the term "dilatation" instead of "dilation." Maybe it can be used interchangeably?

Yes I believe it can. My book calls it dilatation in reference to the cervix and my teacher does sometimes as well. She flips between the two.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

My latest irritation - my med surg prof says vasodilatation instead of vasodilation

I have had to very reluctantly accept "dilatation" since it's in my Tabers as a synonym for dilation. Why, why, why would you dilatate when dilate would suffice???? :rolleyes: :chuckle

I have once instructor in particular who butchers her pronunciation. Part of it is a quirky regional accent, and part of it is just ... quirky. But the grammar & spelling in her written materials are flawless. Go figure.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
I have had to very reluctantly accept "dilatation" since it's in my Tabers as a synonym for dilation. Why, why, why would you dilatate when dilate would suffice???? :rolleyes: :chuckle

Dilatate is like dilate, but with a little extra oomph!

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