Medical terms you'd rather see changed....

Published

I hate saying "expired" for someone who is dead and I could also do without seeing "morbid obesity" or even obese in the chart.

I know being overweight is a serious health issue, but those words are so ugly to me.

So, what are some medical terms you could do without or you think are strange?

Pulmonary toilet...I just hate that phrase!

pardon me for my ignorance. i have never come across this phrase. what does it mean?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I just saw one that made me want to barf. "Murse" as an abbreviaton for 'male nurse'! PUHLEEEZE!!! I thought terms that identify someone's sex were no longer P.C. (eg, mailman, manhole, etc.)

:roll :chuckle lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I just saw one that made me want to barf. "Murse" as an abbreviaton for 'male nurse'! PUHLEEEZE!!! I thought terms that identify someone's sex were no longer P.C. (eg, mailman, manhole, etc.)

Oh, yeah, 'murse'. Sometimes i just wanna say "Changing the title will not make one's self-consciousness disappear" :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

While we are changing vocabulary, lets start with "Nurses Training". I don't know about you, but I received nursing EDUCATION at a University, not training at the doggie academy. I am not trained to jump thru flaming hoops (although some shifts feel like it), I make educated decisions. I cringe when I hear about nurses being trained.

I couldn't agree more! My dearly-departed MIL was terribly proud of my profession, and introduced me to everyone she knew as a "Trained Nurse". That title always made me wonder if I was somehow different from an Untrained Nurse, or a Trained Monkey.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
pardon me for my ignorance. i have never come across this phrase. what does it mean?

I think pulmonary toilet is turn, cough, deep breathe.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I hate saying "expired" for someone who is dead and I could also do without seeing "morbid obesity" or even obese in the chart.

I know being overweight is a serious health issue, but those words are so ugly to me.

So, what are some medical terms you could do without or you think are strange?

I hate the word 'obese', too. I used to see it a lot in history and physicals at the hospitals.

I tend to be a little 'fluffy', altho I don't consider myself 'obese'!! I was going in for surgery, so I told the surgeon at our pre-surgery visit that I had every intention of reading his H&P, and nowhere did I want to see him describing me as 'obese white female'.:chuckle

He handled it very well - he stated that I was a 'well-developed white female'!:rotfl:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

this was a great thread. i couldn't agree more with all of you. the one that made me laugh the most is MURSE~! never heard that as a male nurse, but i HAVE heard it used to mean a MALE PURSE!!!:rotfl:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Informatics, Neonatal ICU, Home Health.

I loved being labeled with "Advanced Maternal Age" at 39 when I had better overall health at that time than many 25 year olds. Even worse "Senior or Aged Primipara"!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
i hate od,ou, os, ad,au,as, as abbreviations....they're confusing don't save time and you only save one letter as eye or ear are 3 letters long.

Apparently you're not the only one. At all the hospitals where I've done clinicals (and in our texts), JCAHO notices have been posted that these abbreviations should no longer be used.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hate to see, "Patient complaining of _____"

Makes it sound like they're all just whiny and gripey.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.
I loved being labeled with "Advanced Maternal Age" at 39 when I had better overall health at that time than many 25 year olds. Even worse "Senior or Aged Primipara"!

I'm 39 and have been labeled with "geriatric maternal age". I could have handled advanced, but GERIATRIC, come one!!

tvccrn

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.
While we are changing vocabulary, lets start with "Nurses Training". I don't know about you, but I received nursing EDUCATION at a University, not training at the doggie academy. I am not trained to jump thru flaming hoops (although some shifts feel like it), I make educated decisions. I cringe when I hear about nurses being trained.

In a similar vein-the phrase "practicing" makes me shudder at the images it evokes; I've been working as a nurse long enough that I think I've got it down by now!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion