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.

Can I tell you something? I get rather irritated by spelling and grammar errors. I used to cringe at other nurses' charting. With my love of medical information, I make a good medical transcriptionist. However, I make a rather average nurse (with stellar documentation).

On the other hand, my husband has horrid spelling and grammar to where he misspells things like the word bananas. HOWEVER, he can think on his feet in ways I cannot. He can do all kinds of technical skills that I cannot. He gets along with people in ways I cannot.

He is clearly a better nurse than I could ever be. Let him save your life or keep you alive; I'll type up the reports for your medical record.

(I am certainly not saying a person with flawless spelling, grammar, and pronunciation cannot be a fab nurse. However, being poor at any of those items does not mean one is a bad nurse or reflect poorly on the profession.)

POINT WELL TAKEN! Thank you!

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wow, when you get down off your high horse, be careful...you might fall.

Thank you for the gravity check!! :)

And reality check! :)

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Specializes in Sub-Acute, SNF,ICU,AL,Triage, Cardiac.

I've heard "old timers" disease for Alzheimer's from an older gentleman whose wife was diagnosed with it. He said, "At least I think that's what they called it, and I'm a getting old so I suppose I probably already have it too and don't know it." I thought it was too fitting to argue the point.

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Specializes in PICU/Pedi.

I am merely a first-semester nursing student, and already, I have heard several words that bug me. My medical terminology teacher said "pharnyx" and larnyx". Glad I'm not the only one to hear that! Also, this studen t that I practiced skills with all the time always said "dys-Pee-Nee-uh" instead of dyspnea. I love her to death, but that used to drive me nuts!!

Oh, and my dad says "hydrocodeine" instead of hydrocodone. :lol_hitti

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Specializes in ICU.
I am merely a first-semester nursing student, and already, I have heard several words that bug me. My medical terminology teacher said "pharnyx" and larnyx". Glad I'm not the only one to hear that! Also, this studen t that I practiced skills with all the time always said "dys-Pee-Nee-uh" instead of dyspnea. I love her to death, but that used to drive me nuts!!

Oh, and my dad says "hydrocodeine" instead of hydrocodone. :lol_hitti

What's even worse, is an experienced nurse that says "HydrocoRDONE" over and over.. and can't seem to say it correctly even when you tell her how to say it.. lol

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If we all were great orators, spellers and writers we wouldn't be stuck in whatever level of nursing above which we presently cannot rise.

Who says I'm stuck? Who says I cannot rise further if I so choose? I happen to be fantastic with the Enlish language and have been told that I am a dynamic speaker. I am, however, where I want to be.

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guys this is hillarious!

Nursing Notes

CARDIAC

*patient has chest pains if she lies on her left side for over a year.

*by the time she was admitted to the hospital, her rapid heart had stopped and she was feeling much better.

MUSCULOKELETAL

*on the second day, the knee was better, and on the third day, it had completeley disappeared.

*while in the emergency department, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.

NEUROLOGIC

*patient was alert and unresponsive.

*healthy appearing, decrepit 69-year-old female, mentally alert, but forgetful.

*she is numb from her toes down.

GASTROINTESTINAL

*rectal examination revealed a normal-size thyroid.

*the patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

*she stated that she had been constipated for most of her life until 1989, when she got a divorce.

*bleeding started in the rectal area and continued all the way to Los Angeles

*the patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead.

*fleet enema given with stool hard as pine knots.

*patient complains of indigestion since last night when he ate a stake.

*patient passed flatus... two short, one long.

*patient was seen in consultation by the physician who felt we should sit tight on the abdomen and I agreed.

GYNECOLOGIC/UROLOGIC

*examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus-sized.

*indwelling urinary catheter draining clear yellow roses.

*examination of genitalia was completely negative except for the right foot.

*pelvic examination to be done later on the floor.

*indwelling catheter draining large amount of urine the color of American beer.

*MD at bedside attempting to urinate. Unsuccessful. (The physician was actually attempting to intubate).

SOCIAL HISTORY

*the patient lives at home with his mother, father and pet turtle, who is presently enrolled in day care three times a week.

*patient was in his usual state of good health until his airplane ran out of gas and crashed.

*examination reveals a well-developed male lying in bed with his family in no distress.

MISCELLANEOUS

*the skin was moist and dry.

*both breasts are equal and reactive to light and accomodation.

*the baby was delivered; the cord clamped and cut and handed to the pediatrician, who breathed and cried immediately.

*skin: somewhat pale, but present.

*i saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

*because she can't get pregnant with her husband. I thought you'd like to work her up.

*the test indicated abnormal lover function.

*if he squeezes the back of his neck for 4 or 5 years, it comes and goes.

*discharge status: alive, but without permission.

(by JAN BLACK, RN, OCN)

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I have seen this before, and I think it is DOCTOR NOTES, not nurses. Don't blame us for the goofs they write on H&Ps.

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Specializes in HH, SNF, LTC, Hospital.
Personally, I would want someone to let me know if I were saying something the wrong way. The reality is that a person who misuses words, or pronounces them incorrectly comes across as less knowledgeable and intelligent.

There may come a time in the future when she won't be taken seriously as a professional because what she's saying sounds silly.

This is exactly the way I feel. Every time I take report from one of our PM CNA's she is sure to tell me how many "Aqua checks" I need to do....(Accucheck, like it says ON THE LID!!!)

I deduct points from their IQ ever time I hear that stuff. Grrrr, then again, she loves her job and has no plans to better her own career, she puts in her hours and goes home. I on the other hand, aspire to be more than an NA in the future...Unit clerk, maybe Informatics RN, dunno yet...

I also asked the CNA training me the first week repeatedly what "q4" "q8" "q whatever..." meant, because she misused it and to this day , (sadly) I still don't think she knows! She's a know-it-all who barks directions and Ikill her with kindness to retaliate...(maybe more to calm myself?!?!) Again, no future, just a j-o-b ...

I digress...

thanks for the opportunity to vent...

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This is exactly the way I feel. Every time I take report from one of our PM CNA's she is sure to tell me how many "Aqua checks" I need to do....(Accucheck, like it says ON THE LID!!!)

I deduct points from their IQ ever time I hear that stuff. Grrrr, then again, she loves her job and has no plans to better her own career, she puts in her hours and goes home. I on the other hand, aspire to be more than an NA in the future...Unit clerk, maybe Informatics RN, dunno yet...

I also asked the CNA training me the first week repeatedly what "q4" "q8" "q whatever..." meant, because she misused it and to this day , (sadly) I still don't think she knows! She's a know-it-all who barks directions and Ikill her with kindness to retaliate...(maybe more to calm myself?!?!) Again, no future, just a j-o-b ...

I digress...

thanks for the opportunity to vent...

Wow, your attitude speaks volumes. Being judgemental is not a good quality for a nurse. Maybe you should look at what sort of background people might be coming from when you decide how much to expect from them. We have an aide who has a reading problem. She could probably never figure out how to say accucheck just by seeing the word. But she is the most caring, wonderful caregiver to her patients. IQ is just a number. It does not determine what sort of person you are. And guess what- we need CNAs who just want to be CNAs. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING AN AIDE!!!! There is nothing wrong with being anything. We need all kinds of health care workers to make the system work. People ask me why I did not go to school to be a doctor. Like it is my duty to aspire to that instead of being a lowly nurse. Well guess what - I don't want to be a doctor! I want to get to know people, and help them to learn about their health and how they can help themselves. I want to advocate for them and try to make them feel better. I don't want to diagnose them and give them a prescrption and send them out the door. I want time to care and be involved. I want to hug them if I feel they need a hug. That is nursing.

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Specializes in Renal/Cardiac.
Wow, your attitude speaks volumes. Being judgemental is not a good quality for a nurse. Maybe you should look at what sort of background people might be coming from when you decide how much to expect from them. We have an aide who has a reading problem. She could probably never figure out how to say accucheck just by seeing the word. But she is the most caring, wonderful caregiver to her patients. IQ is just a number. It does not determine what sort of person you are. And guess what- we need CNAs who just want to be CNAs. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING AN AIDE!!!! There is nothing wrong with being anything. We need all kinds of health care workers to make the system work. People ask me why I did not go to school to be a doctor. Like it is my duty to aspire to that instead of being a lowly nurse. Well guess what - I don't want to be a doctor! I want to get to know people, and help them to learn about their health and how they can help themselves. I want to advocate for them and try to make them feel better. I don't want to diagnose them and give them a prescrption and send them out the door. I want time to care and be involved. I want to hug them if I feel they need a hug. That is nursing.

VERY WELL PUT!!!!!!! BRAVO for these never such truer spoken words:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::up::up::loveya:

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Specializes in HH, SNF, LTC, Hospital.

There are lots of ways to see things and I agree wholeheartedly that we are all special and important in the world of medicine.

I believe this thread was (and my post was written in that spirit) one of misuse or pronunciation of terms in a humorous, "canubelievetheysaiditthatway?" pet peeves, joking manor...

Sorry if it offended anyone, I really didn't mean to sound hateful,that's not my way. It DOES take all kinds...

As I said, my coworker IS a wonderful caring CNA who does an incredible job at the part that matters, caring for patients.

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