Medical words that make you cringe.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN]

I was just attempting to study and came across a word that makes me cringe. I know it's probably weird. Some words just evoke something in me, not all medical, I can't stand the words curd or moist.

Anyway, I was curious what some of yours were, or if it is only me that cringes at certain ones.

Since starting nursing school, Fistula is one I can't stand. Makes me want to gag just seeing it!

[RetiredTooSoon]

I can't stand the word "expire" when someone dies. Humans are not loaves of bread....we don't expire! Ticks me off when people say it or when I read it. I will NEVER say that about somebody.

Agreed. I don't like "passed away" either; I prefer either the reality-'he/she died' or, if a euphemism is required, 'transferred to the Eternal Care Unit'.

[NatrLvrnMT]

Fistula IS a good one. Pessary is another one for me. And Prolapse- I just hate having anything to do with either of these words! lol

[NatrLvrnMT]

Yup, the 'thick, yellow' does it for me! LOL

[hefrosmiles]

Cocksackie. There is simply, just something wrong with this word.

[newmissRN]

The place that I work has been known to call it a "celestial discharge" when a patient dies.

[SamyRN]

SMEGMA! YUCK!

[AriesPanda]

I have a friend who cringes and cannot STAND the word "placenta"...so naturally we stick post-its in her belongings with the word "placenta" written on it..

[nurselindah, BSN, RN]

Glial...anything with glial in it-glial cell, glioblastoma. Makes me feel like I am gagging when I say it. Yeesh.

[lossforimagination]

Seriously, if mere words make you cringe, what will you do when your patient with a bowel obstruction vomits up fecal material all over the floor, and the odor permeates the entire unit? What will you do about the odor of digested blood? The sight of thick purulent sputum? The sight of infected pressure ulcers you can fit your fist into? There are even worse things you will encounter.....

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

The place that I work has been known to call it a "celestial discharge" when a patient dies.

What the heck do you work in? Hippy substance abuse rehab?

[Trilldayz,RN BSN]

Lossforinformation- I DID actually see a guy with a bowel obstruction that was puking his fecal matter up!!! It was actually the first day of me working as a Student Nurse Tech in my hospital's ER. Talk about an eye opening experience!! It stunk up the entire ER holding area and I did feel like gagging (I tend to gag when other people gag LOL)! But I still thought it was interesting and kinda cool. I have witnessed quite a bit of trauma and blood and I usually like it. But NOTHING tops seeing someone hack, cough, and gag up a thick yellow, blood-tinged clump of sputum, in my book! Ewwwww!!!! Yes, I'm a weenie when it comes to sputum.

[srerrn2]

Seriously, if mere words make you cringe, what will you do when your patient with a bowel obstruction vomits up fecal material all over the floor, and the odor permeates the entire unit? What will you do about the odor of digested blood? The sight of thick purulent sputum? The sight of infected pressure ulcers you can fit your fist into? There are even worse things you will encounter.....

OHHH, there are two words right here besides the obvious one...sputum, which seems to gross out most nurses. I have alway hated the word purulent. It just makes me want to gag!!! Also, the word fecal. Just sounds gross even if you don't know what it is yet. Thanks for reminding me of these GROSS words. By the way, there are plenty of words that might make me sick to my stomach but that does not make me a less effective nurse.