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.

[cokristinug]

when healthcare professionals say "altimers" instead of "alzheimers"

[belgarion]

when healthcare professionals say "altimers" instead of "alzheimers"

I've heard a few people think it's funny to call it "oldtimer's".

[NPmimzy75]

I'd like to preface this by saying that I know I am not perfect and I am not going to spell check this, so please don't rip me apart!

I have really enjoyed reading this thread and can agree with all of these posts. What I want to know is, how do I properly correct someone who is saying these things? I found this thread because I am orienting a new grad who uses many of these terms that have been discussed. The mis-pronounciations do not bother as much as when people use words or abbreviations for words that show that they do not understand what they are talking about: O2 stat, expLitory (not sure how you'd even spell that) wheezes. If you are not saying the right word, how do you really know what you are talking about? And how much of my job is it to correct spelling of non-medical words that should have been learned by the 5th grade? I've been reading over her notes before she saves them and correcting her spelling, but I've been having to correct almost every other word! Any thoughts from anyone who's dealt with something like this? I just sometimes get upset when I am on the same pay scale as someone who maybe shouldn't have graduated high school. (Not trying to be rude)

[BanoraWhite]

"Oldzeimers"

"SUPER pubic catheter"

[thehipcrip]

Cardiojenny, I think it's important that you do correct her mispronunciations/misuse of terms -- just be sure to do so in private so as not to further embarrass her. No need to make a big deal out of it -- you can say, "By the way, I noticed you say 'O2 stat', which is incorrect. The correct word is O2 sat, which is short for saturation." if she tries to blow it off as no big deal, explain that as professionals, nurses need to use accurate terminology -- failing to do so can cause colleagues, doctors, and even patients to be less confident about your competence as a medical professional.

As far as you correcting her chart notes for spelling errors, I applaud why you're doing this. However, there are far better uses for your valuable time and skills. Make her responsible for running her notes through a spell check program before she asks you to review them for entry. If the charting software doesn't include spell check, she can always prepare her notes in a word processing program and then cut/paste them into the chart.

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

Sometimes you can just slip it in naturally- "you mean O2 sat". Remember though that this person may have a learning disability which is beyond his or her control. Having a learning diability does not make a person less intelligent, nor does it mean they should not have graduated from high school or go on to have a career.

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

Sometimes you can just slip it in naturally- "you mean O2 sat". Remember though that this person may have a learning disability which is beyond his or her control. Having a learning diability does not make a person less intelligent, nor does it mean they should not have graduated from high school or go on to have a career.

I don't understand. What kind of learning disability would cause this? Hearing?

As for how to tell her -- I always find that when my feedback comes from a place of genuine concern for someone's advancement/professional standing they usually take it well. If it comes from a place of my being annoyed -- it usually doesn't isn't taken well. Of course, we have no control over how someone "takes" something.

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

If you don't correct it now, she may end up being like a prof I had who could not spell or pronounce clinical terms correctly; and then she'll be spreading her unprofessionalism to whole new generation.

[MagsMom]

I don't understand. What kind of learning disability would cause this? Hearing?

Sometimes a reading disability can cause this - My daughter who has had EXTENSIVE remediation still mispronounces words. For example just last night she asked me if I was watching Food "neckwort". It is not a hearing problem because she is a much better audio learner than visual learner and if I read the book Overcoming Dyslexia again I would probably be able to explain why reading disabilities can cause these types of problems.

I know it seems odd and before I had a child with dyslexia I was not as sympathetic as I am now when people mispronouce or get flustered when they are speaking.

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

Sometimes a reading disability can cause this - My daughter who has had EXTENSIVE remediation still mispronounces words. For example just last night she asked me if I was watching Food "neckwort". It is not a hearing problem because she is a much better audio learner than visual learner and if I read the book Overcoming Dyslexia again I would probably be able to explain why reading disabilities can cause these types of problems.

I know it seems odd and before I had a child with dyslexia I was not as sympathetic as I am now when people mispronouce or get flustered when they are speaking.

I guess my point is that in nursing school you hear these things said all the time. I am not unsympathetic just genuinely curious.

What I don't like is when people are unnecessarily unpleasant about this stuff...there is a girl in my class who seems to have a lot of trouble pronouncing things. During a presentation to the class a couple of the students were laughing at her and then one interrupted her presentation to correct her. I felt so badly for her (and so annoyed at the students). You would think that as adults they could have resisted the urge to correct her publicly. We all knew she was pronouncing some things wrong but no one else saw fit to humiliate her.

Oh well.

[CuriousMe]

Sometimes you can just slip it in naturally- "you mean O2 sat". Remember though that this person may have a learning disability which is beyond his or her control. Having a learning diability does not make a person less intelligent, nor does it mean they should not have graduated from high school or go on to have a career.

Even so, having a learning disability just means she has a harder time learning something....not that she's exempt from learning it. Personally if my nurse couldn't pronounce the vocabulary of their profession, it would decrease my confidence in their ability to care for me.

I have multiple learning disabilities, my spelling is beyond terrible (without spell check :) ) and my pronunciations are often impacted. I know this about me, and so prepare for it. If I know I have to write things by hand, I carry a digital dictionary with me. For pronunciations of medical terms, I use the electronic version of Taber's that I have both on my laptop and on my Palm, as it pronounces words for me. If there's a word I think I might be saying wrong I can listen to it to remind myself on how it's said. But most of all, I tell folks that I'm working with to PLEASE correct me.

Personal responsibility still counts, learning disabled or not.

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

I love that Taber's pronunciation thing. There is one in the free online Merck Manual as well.