Learn To Say It Correctly!!

[SheriLynnRN]

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.

[Atheos]

Yes, I have also heard an RN say this in every conversation she has about pt's o2 sats. It bothers me also, how can they not know its sat, not stat. I just giggle to my self. I am glad to finaly hear someone else, thinks the same as I do.

"A" goes before all words that begin with consonants.

A cat

A RN

with one exception: Use an before unsounded h.

An hour

---------------

"An" goes before all words that begin with vowels:

An owl

An egg

with two exceptions: When u makes the same sound as the y in you, or o makes the same sound as w in won, then a is used.

A union

A united front

Not to be anal or anything :)

[intellinurse]

Question (now I'm truly confused): why would one say "AN art exhibit by A RN"? Thanks.

[Atheos]

Question (now I'm truly confused): why would one say "AN art exhibit by A RN"? Thanks.

Not quite sure what you mean but I do notice that people say 'an' before words that rhyme with it.

An LPN

An RN

Those are incorrect.

It would always be -> A RN, A LPN or A CNA.

Would you say 'An registered nurse?' Abbreviating does not change the underlying grammar rule.

[intellinurse]

The beginning sound of the spoken letter "R", alone, is similar to that of a short A, as in art, artichoke, articulation, etc., all of which demand "an" before them. If you provide me with the rule, I promise never to use "AN" improperly, again. Thanks, Stanley.

[Atheos]

The beginning sound of the spoken letter "R", alone, is similar to that of a short A, as in art, artichoke, articulation, etc., all of which demand "an" before them. If you provide me with the rule, I promise never to use "AN" improperly, again. Thanks, Stanley.

Sounds have never dictated 'an' or 'a' usage. I put the rule in a post above.

An is only appropriate in front of vowels and silent h's.

Switching the articles in a phonetic (spoken) instance is correct. In an orthographic (written) instance it is not. This is because of changes in pronunciation. Certain words may change in differing locations requiring different articles. In text there is no change and the proper article should be used.

Of course different schools of thought differ so...

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Would you say 'An registered nurse?' Abbreviating does not change the underlying grammar rule.

Wow, I always thought abbreviating DID change the underlying grammar rule.

An RN . .. . .A Registered Nurse.

hmmmmm . ..

steph

[girlr6RN]

I feel that I'm pretty knowledgable with math being my worst subject..... every time I would hear a doctor say "sonometer" I didn't understand what kind of measurement that was and until I read this thread, I thought it was a medical measurement that I just never learned in nursing school!! :chuckle

[Atheos]

Wow, I always thought abbreviating DID change the underlying grammar rule.

An RN . .. . .A Registered Nurse.

hmmmmm . ..

steph

Well they are still fighting over it. :) I am a traditionalist and like to keep things the way they were... Different schools of thought will argue different things.

The main argument is if the accepted spoken article should be the accepted written article. I personally think no, but I don't run Englsih.

[Kyluh]

My inlaws always say alztimers instead of alzheimers. It really gets under my skin!

I always get ALLTIMERS!! or OLDTIMERS!! Argggg.

:)

Now 'warsh' for wash is not a true mistake, it is regional dialect for parts of the Appalacian and SE (Actually it's 'worsh'.) It's kind of like 'watta' for water in Boston. :)

I think the only thing that really gets me is 'mammyagram' for mammogram. It drives me crazy.

THis is very true. I live in the southwest part of Va, bordering Kentucky and Tennessee where the dialect is completely different from many other cities. Luckily it is the "older" generations that still hold on to the language.

We say Y'all, Fer, and I absolutely cannot get my Grandmother to stops saying Therpy for Therapy!

Also I had two different instructors pronounce ANGINA completely different. One of them emphasized the "I" and the other did not. It drove me crazy!!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Sounds have never dictated 'an' or 'a' usage. I put the rule in a post above.

Source?

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/

[correctlywrong]

Sounds have never dictated 'an' or 'a' usage. I put the rule in a post above.

An is only appropriate in front of vowels and silent h's.

You state that the rules don't depend on sound, but the rules you point out do take sound into consideration.

The difference between a vowel and a consonant is one of sound.

The whole reason for the A vs An rule is a matter of sound.

Two vowels sounded together are difficult to pronounce clearly. The sound of "RN" is similar to "Are In." Using the "An" form of the article in front of RN is a way to clearly enunciate the words that one is using.

[coltsgrl]

The BP machine is broken not broke so please don't write that on the equipment tag. .

I'll never forget one time I walked into a gas station to get a drink and there was a sign that said "This machine is broke" I walked up and asked if the cashier had a pen, walked over and added the "n"...she probably thought I was nuts but I just couldn't help myself.