Mispronouncing a word makes you less of a nurse

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I was in open lab practicing things from my lab the day before. I was talking to a classmate and I mentioned the word larynx but I pronounced it wrong. It's a new word for me so I'm not going to be perfect at pronouncing it. The professor there noticed I pronounced it wrong and corrected me. Then he went on to give me an example of if I were a nurse and he brought his kid to me and I mispronounced a word to him I would be little less of a nurse. In the sense that I was not as competent as a nurse who could pronounced words correctly. He understood that it shouldn't make you less of a nurse but to him it does. I know it's just his opinion and opinions are like mouths everyone has one. I just didn't like the comment nor did I expect this from him. What do you guys think?

I was in open lab practicing things from my lab the day before. I was talking to a classmate and I mentioned the word larynx but I pronounced it wrong. It's a new word for me so I'm not going to be perfect at pronouncing it. The professor there noticed I pronounced it wrong and corrected me. Then he went on to give me an example of if I were a nurse and he brought his kid to me and I mispronounced a word to him I would be little less of a nurse. In the sense that I was not as competent as a nurse who could pronounced words correctly. He understood that it shouldn't make you less of a nurse but to him it does. I know it's just his opinion and opinions are like mouths everyone has one. I just didn't like the comment nor did I expect this from him. What do you guys think?

I think as an instructor, he gave you information that is important to consider. There are so many threads here on allnurses about word usage and frustration with incorrect grammar, pronunciation, spelling, etc.

As a student, you will not be judged as you are learning. But this point should be made.

Some words are simply pronounced because people are from different areas of the US or world for that matter.

We have to live with that. :D

But what your prof did was part of school. Learning.

The truth is you will be looked at by the way you speak and act.

steph

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Sorry, I'm not trying to be snarky. I just think snarky comments such as "You are less of a nurse because you pronounced a word incorrectly" does more to humiliate a person. That's the problem with this profession, some instructors are so into humiliating their students at any opportunity. That's not the proper way to teach someone. Make them understand why they did or said something wrong, but don't humiliate the person.

I didn't see any humiliation but I wasn't there. The prof just told the student that she will be judged by her speech. I think that is important information.

He was talking in the future - not saying the student was going to be judged. But the nurse.

steph

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Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).

I was corrected as a student, and I DO correct as an instructor! I have been in the position of being the mother of a child in the ER and have an RN mispronounce, AND even misidentify the purpose of a drug to me (not knowing that I was a nursing professor). Yes, thing like this (rightly or wrongly) make a person wonder about the professionalism/ competence of the nurse.

To the OP: It is very important to be able to accept criticism. Perhaps it could have been more delicately delivered, but the professor was right to let you know you were mispronouncing a term.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
I didn't see any humiliation but I wasn't there. The prof just told the student that she will be judged by her speech. I think that is important information.

He was talking in the future - not saying the student was going to be judged. But the nurse.

steph

Depends on the situation. If the prof corrected the student in front of other students, that could be humiliating to a student. If that prof corrected the student by saying the correct pronounciation, I think that would have sufficed but to add in "you will be less than a nurse" is far out there.

I really have no problem with the prof correcting the student. I do not agree with the second comment.

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I can't believe this kind of stuff. It doesn't make or break you if you pronounce something wrong and it doesn't make you less of a nurse. I challenge anyone to be able to pronounce some of those generic drug names that are miles long correctly every time. Kindness and compassion go further than saying words right. Besides if I have a problem with a word or drug name, I tell the patient, I haven't figured out how to say this correctly, they will laugh and say I can't either. Build rapport and quit worrying so much about yourself and it will all fall into place. It's not an indication of poor education or anything else, some words are just hard to enunciate properly!

Mydnightnurse

Also lets keep in mind that we live in America,a cultural melting pot,there are more foreign nursing working in the health care settings than the ones who are native to this country,even though statistics say other thing (at least where I am!) and lets not forget the cultural backgrounds of the patients,a lot of them dont even know how to speak English that well anyway,also lay people are not familiar with medical words,do you actually think they care how you pronounce some highly difficult world if they dont even know what it means,come on...

I think it is hypocritical,condescending,rude and meaningless as well as uncalled for at this point to reprimend you on how to correctly pronounce medical terms,instructors like that get under my skin and I feel that instead of supporting you they make degratory statements and they directly contribute to humilating you.If they want to give you constructive critism there are other ways to teach someone,maybe next time you should tell you instructor to learn other languages like latin for example before opening his uncalled for mouth.

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I didn't see any humiliation but I wasn't there. The prof just told the student that she will be judged by her speech. I think that is important information.

He was talking in the future - not saying the student was going to be judged. But the nurse.

steph

The comment was totally out of line,I seen instructors telling students that they know know how to speak English (they do!) because they couldnt pronounce allmighty medical words,I seen instructors telling students they they should be CNAs instead of nurses (very constructive,heh?),and telling students they should work with the nurses who are just like them!(meaning to work in the same cultural group/how incredible racist!)

Intructors like this should be either ignored or reported in my personal opnion.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I have to agree. There are better ways to give constructive criticism. That instructor's version of it wasn't very constructive.

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"SOHNtimeter" comes from the French pronunciation. Cent in French is pronounced sont.

SOHNTimeter bugs the heck out me. I took five years of French in high school and college, and one of my sons is adopted from Haiti, has a very French name, and came into my family at age 4 1/2 years old speaking only French. The word centimeter is "centimetre" in French. I think if you are going to pronounce the first half of the word from the French pronunciation, you should also speak the SECOND half of the word with the French pronunciation. Otherwise, pronounce the whole word in English. Here in the US, a penny is a cent, not a SOHNT. I think SOHNT-i-meeter sounds silly and contrived. Although we have many words and phrases borrowed from other languages (i.e. faux pas) in English, I think at least each individual word you speak should follow the rules of one language, not two.

That being said, sometimes if you haven't heard the name of a medication spoken, it sure is hard to figure out how to pronounce it correctly when it is super long. I am sure I have been guilty of putting the stresses on the wrong syllables and a making a mess out of some words, ESPECIALLY unfamiliar meds!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
I didn't see any humiliation but I wasn't there. The prof just told the student that she will be judged by her speech. I think that is important information.

He was talking in the future - not saying the student was going to be judged. But the nurse.

steph

That's how I took it too, but I wasn't there either.

I think it would be completely fair for a patient or their family members to question my skill if I cannot pronounce the names of the coronary anatomy, drugs, or procedures that I frequently teach patients and family members about. These people are generally in an acute health crisis and many of them are having their first heart attack and everything about it is new. They take a great deal of comfort from the competence and skill of the nursing staff caring for them. I have been told this by patients and family members repeatedly.

So, I agree with the instructor that this is important. Whether the instructor was condescending in any way while getting this message across to the student, I cannot speak to since I was not present.

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Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).
i have to agree. there are better ways to give constructive criticism. that instructor's version of it wasn't very constructive.

actually, what you have is the student's version of what the instructor said.

take it with a grain of salt!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
actually, what you have is the student's version of what the instructor said.

take it with a grain of salt!

i think when you are in nursing school emotions run really high because there is so much expected of the student and things get muffled in communication at times. that being said, i don't think the student's word is any less credible than the instructor's. yeah, we only have one side of the story but i still feel that constructive criticism can be given in a better way.

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