Is English required to be an RN?

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

Grammar in this forum and on medical charting are not the same thing. I, too, think there are too many lazy nurses out there not speaking or charting professionally. Our culture has taken the casual lifestyle a little far, IMHO. We had a nurse who referred to otitis media as otis meatus. I often wondered if she paid someone to take NCLEX for her. Grammar sets apart the educated from the uneducated, and really does make a difference in how you are perceived. I understand that grammar has nothing to do with how well one performs a task, but I have the opinion that tasks is not ALL that nurses are about. How we think and make critical judgements is at least as important, or more so, than having the ability to perform a task. I am in favor of nurses being perceived as educated professionals who are due respect (and salary!!) befitting their education (not training).

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

... "Alert and Oriented" is that a proper sentence?...

Nothing wrong with that at all. Tenses match. Clear, understandable assessment. Professional terms correctly employed. Hence, documentator is perceived as knowledgeable, experienced, believable, etc.

Approved abbreviations are also fine.

None of this stuff is what, I believe, we're (or, at least, I'm) talking about.

Keep on doing what you're doing.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

... I understand that grammar has nothing to do with how well one performs a task... I am in favor of nurses being perceived as educated professionals who are due respect (and salary!!) befitting their education...

Agree with ya. But remember that charting is also a task... a crucial one at that!

With respect to the second point above: of course, your dead on!

mattsmom81 · Jul 12, 2004

There are so many more important things to worry about than the grammar on a BB...a place we come to vent, relax a bit and wind down from the stress of the workplace.....

NewbieNurse2005 · Jul 12, 2004

Hi,

I'm still relatively new to this site, and I was reading this thread; I found it most interesting. I find it childish to "nit pick" about the boards' spelling and grammar. It's not as if this site is a place to show off your professionalism. It is a place to ask questions, post thoughts, and of course give your opinions to the fore mentioned things. I can see how it can be annoying to see a grammar error or two, but look at it this way; If they were illiterate they wouldn't be in this field. I know that spelling and grammar do count as one of the many requirements needed to pass practical nursing courses, so I assume the same to be true for Rn's.

Godswill · Jul 12, 2004

I too am one who can ramble in a post. But i was an A student english lit. and my other class that required writing papers. But i am not in class or doing a charts, I am on a BB now.

Shucks i know this post here has mistakes but at this moment in time i rather read more post than check grammar

CHATSDALE · Jul 12, 2004

I Think That Jailhouse Probably Meant That Everyday Speech Is Becoming Uncouth....i Think There Should Be A Different Level Of Acceptance Depending On Where You Are.....ain't Ain't Acceptable Anywhere But Regional Differances Give Us Color...e Room Anything Goes Partly Because Of Differant Levels Of Typing Proficiency And Lack Of Proofreading Before Sending

leslie :-D · Jul 12, 2004

I have noticed from day one in here that many RNs use some of the poorest English and grammar I have ever seen. I am sure that we were required to take English as a requirement to graduate from nursing school. Did we leave it in the classroom, or is it that it was never really learned? I see from the charts I read at work that the case is the same in actual practice. I see so much chatroomease that it makes me sick to read some of the postings in here. Are we professionals that want to sound the part or somply chatroom fools? I for one at least try to sound and act professional. As RNs we have a reputation to be knowledgable and professional. Where are you?

hey jailhouse,

just to clarify, are you referring to those who are actually nursing or here on the bb, where we tend to let our hair down??? we are nurses at work, and nurses off work when on the bb.

and again, i do agree that improper grammar/spelling is inexcusable, professionally speaking; and it is embarrassing when professionals do not represent themselves as such. but as op stated, you can tell those that are typing quickly (here on bb) rather than those that are deficient in the use of our english language.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

sorry for the double post. :)

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2004

So back to topic at hand, which several of us misunderstood, I don't see much chatroom shorthand in charting around where I work. Definately a lot of shortcuts and shorthand but they teach us that in nursing school. Yes, a lot of misspellings, by doctors as well.

Ned the Red · Jul 12, 2004

I almost hate to get involved in this but as an ex-English teacher I find I can't help myself. My concern/gripe isn't the occasional typo or the fact that folks "talk" in a forum differently than they would in a formal document. What bothers me is the use of English in such a way as to discredit the user.

Me and her instead of she and I

There WAS twenty five patients instead of there WERE...

For better or for worse these things reflect on your abilities. As someone said earlier it's hard to have confidence in someone as a professional when they don't take the time to get the basics of the language right.

Having said that, for me it's a different matter with someone who is a non-native speaker. I give them a lot of credit for speaking a second language.

Ok, let the flaming begin!

leslie :-D · Jul 12, 2004

:chuckle

well ned, i have to agree with you. for those of us born and raised in america, it is unfortunate that many of us do not possess even the most basic elements of english. but that is a personal peeve of mine. i would never start a thread over it.