Learn To Say It Correctly!!

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Doesn't it just drive you insane when someone tells you that Mr. Smith's O2 STAT is 96%?

It's O2 SAT people! Sat, short for saturation. I even hear respiratory therapists saying this. I am sooooo tempted to say something next time, but I know it's just petty, so I needed to vent here. Thank you.

How about the patient has ammonia? What they are really trying to say is pneumonia.......:lol2:

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My A & P professor says res-Pie-ra-tory and skel-lee-tal (skeletal) but I think its more funny than annoying and I laugh to myself everytime. In study groups we make fun of it:)

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Since I work in a pain management office, I find the fact that people can't pronounce their meds insane! Some of my favorites are:

Zanzax for Xanax

Zoma for Soma

Carpsidol for Carisopridol (generic for Soma)

Acetminifen for Acetaminophen

But, the most annoying this isn't in the pronunciation of this one, but in the actual statement of the question. Instead of asking when/if they will have to take a drug screen (ours are urine), the majority ask "Do I gotta take one of those p*ss tests?" Ugghh! So, I started telling them no and then calling them back for their urine tests, eventually they'll understand that we don't respond to that type of treatment ;)

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
rn/writer said:
We've already discussed this one in depth.

"Sontimeter" is an English version of the French pronunciation of "centimeter" and has been used by many people over the years. While technically all right to use, it is now considered "old school" and viewed by some as an affectation.

Use it at your own risk.

It makes me crazy to hear it pronounced this way. :uhoh3: Two of my OB instructors do this and it's like nails on a chalkboard.

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Specializes in Adult Critical Care, Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Once overheard a patient of mine who had MRSA of a wound telling her family she's "got the merka".

:yeah:

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DolceVita said:
This is why I dig my Taber's. On my ITouch I can just hit pronunciation. Love it.

I'm going to have to get that.

After reading this thread I realize I have been saying a lot of things wrong!

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes! SONO-meters drives me crazy too! In one of my first nursing classes one of the instructors pronounced it like this and I thought it was some weird form of measurement I'd never heard of.

Also "pedal pulses are palpatable" Really? You can have heart palpitations or you can palpate a pulse. Pick one.

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Specializes in ICU.

Oh, I also forgot: Lor-A-tabs, roto-cuff (rotator cuff), and the age old dia-beet-us...that one makes me cringe.

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Specializes in Medical Assistant, Peds.

I worked with an older doctor who could never say Parietal correctly. He would say it as "peri-eat-al". Drove me nuts.

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I would like to say it is so irritating because most people in the medical field are quite OCD and like things to be just right...but if that were the case, we wouldn't be dealing with so many mispronounced words then, would we? I can understand when "non-medical" people use the wrong terminology, but I have had several professors say things that would drive me NUTS! My micro teacher would say"Bah-logy" and my Med Math professor used "sontometer". I have to admit, "Cadillac Surgery" on the eyes is pretty classic! Maybe he meant that he had a REALLY expensive surgeon! ; )

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miko014 said:
Okay, pronunciation sometimes bothers me, and sometimes it doesn't. It's so funny that this thread started out about O2 stats, because I almost exploded the other night when 2 techs were talking about someone's sat and calling it stat over and over again. It was like nails on a chalkboard!!!!!

I work with someone who consistently says:

Ideal (instead of "idea")

Tropical (instead of "topical")

Pacifically (instead of "specifically")

etc.

The way pts say things doesn't usually bother me, because, as was previously stated, they are not "in the field" and don't necessarily know better. But when they say "dilauda", it's like a needle in my eye!!!!!

I am a notorious grammar policewoman myself, but I find myself to be more lenient on message boards like this one, instant messenger, email from a friend, etc. It's fine to make occasional mistakes, but dude, if you send me a professional email and it has typos in it, I will freak! If I read them in the newspaper or a book, I can't handle it! I used to almost stroke out when I would see typos on tests in nursing school. I was like "if I turned a paper in like this, I would lose points, but it's okay for you to give me a test that is asking me questions about a pts kidbey function????". My biggest pet peeve that has not been mentioned yet is should OF/could OF/would OF. PEOPLE! It's should + have = should've!!!!!! Argh, I can't handle this! I think I need to go lie down now. :lol2:

(and before the lay down vs. lie down debate starts, I present the following from www.dictionary.com:

"lie down, to assume a horizontal or prostrate position, as for the purpose of resting."

"lay down, a.to give up; yield: to lay down one's arms. b.to assert firmly; state authoritatively: to lay down rigid rules of conduct. c.to stock; store: to lay down wine. d.Shipbuilding. to draw at full size (the lines of a hull), as on the floor of a mold loft; lay off; loft. ")

Your post just reminded me of one that really drove me nuts. My acceptance letter from the Nursing program said, "We expect you to act like a professional at all times....not adhering to our strict guidelines will cause you to LOOSE your position." Seriously?

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Specializes in Treatment nurse, MDS nurse.

I think is it cute when I hear patients say " I HAVE THE GOUCH" meaning GOUT.

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