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.

When I first started working as LVN, my co-worker always used the word "orientated". It's the first time I've heard of that word and I thought the word existed. I knew that she was using the wrong word but since she speaks fluent English than me, I thought that there was "orientated" in the dictionary.

Funny part is I actually used the word because she kept on using it even if I used the word "oriented" when I talked to her regarding some residents' orientation.

FYI: We're both non-native English speakers but I am very picky and this is one reason I don't speak that much. :D

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This site is great for beginners, I am glad that the experienced nurses take the time to write about such things. I am currently working as CNA while attending classes for my LPN, and I can see myself making all these errors. Thanks for including the little things of the profession as well as the clinical.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
When I first started working as LVN, my co-worker always used the word "orientated". It's the first time I've heard of that word and I thought the word existed. I knew that she was using the wrong word but since she speaks fluent English than me, I thought that there was "orientated" in the dictionary.

Funny part is I actually used the word because she kept on using it even if I used the word "oriented" when I talked to her regarding some residents' orientation.

FYI: We're both non-native English speakers but I am very picky and this is one reason I don't speak that much. :D

This may sound silly, but I really appreciate when a non-native English speaker speaks English well. It's not an easy language to speak! You write it quite well, too. :up:

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Specializes in med/surg, ER, camp nursing.

Actually, the British pronounce centimeter as SONTimeter. Maybe they're trying to "Madonna-fy" their english a bit. lol

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People tell me all the time that they've torn their rotator cups or their rotar (like rotars on a car) cuffs. I've also been told that someone tore their melitlus (meniscus).

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Hmmm I am a Brit and have never heard anyone but a Scot say Sontimeter in fact we are more likely to pronounce it centeemeter.

My pet pronunciation peeve is Phrenagan for Phenergan!

An old English saying " Inaccuracy is a mark of sloppiness"

Happy New Year everyone!:D

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

I'm a Scot and I've never heard anyone here pronounce it any way but 'centimetre',never heard 'Sontimetre' !

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Specializes in nursing student.
Trusty Dorland's says Yankauer is pronounced this way:

http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/nine/100004025.htm

yang´kow-er

Incidentally, this website (one I consider to be extremely trustworthy) spelled "sunction" on this link. :banghead: Sometimes it is frustrating to be on the grammar police.

Oh--my husband drives me batty when he says frustrated because he leaves off that first R and says "fustrated." He usually says it when he's upset, so that is not the right time to go policing on him.

I have a RN that I work with the says "flustrated" as well as "orientated", drives me nuts but she's so darn sweet I just can't bring myself to correct her. I have to try really hard to not giggle when she says it. I am a really big spelling and grammar freak too, sucks to be married to someone who can not spell to save his life. :D

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Specializes in CTICU.
Actually, the British pronounce centimeter as SONTimeter. Maybe they're trying to "Madonna-fy" their english a bit. lol

No they don't!! I've only ever heard it in the US.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

my fav was from a pedi nurse giving report on a kid with an earache. She called it "Otis meatus".

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Specializes in SICU, Peds CVICU.

I heard a CNA say "Acetaminophenbacter" instead of "Aceintobacter". I almost died laughing...not as irriating as people mispronouncing "phenergan" or "centimeter" or "metoprolol"

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Shoulder distortia. From our ob-gyn professor, who never met a Greek or Latin root she didn't mangle.

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