Mispronouncing a word makes you less of a nurse

[Unique87]

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?

[ERjodiRN]

there's a reason why they say english is the hardest language!

[tryingtohaveitall]

I won't argue the professor's attitude while correcting the student, but I will defend his actions. He is being paid good money to turn out the best possible nurses. If I'm orienting someone to the PICU, same thing. If they are mispronouncing a medication, procedure, diagnosis, etc, I am going to help them out with the correct pronunciation. I want others to do the same to me, kindly. I would be mortified to walk around saying something the wrong way.

Of course this is not speaking to those with speech impediments.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

there's a reason why they say english is the hardest language!

I think that's an urban legend. English, actually, has relatively simple grammar. The difficulty of English is the vast vocabulary.

[LilyBlue]

I definitely think it reflects badly upon a professional (any professional) if they consistently mispronounce words. It's irritating to people, number one, so they get a fingernails on the blackboard type feeling, regardless if that is an appropriate response or not. Secondly, it just comes across as sloppy - if you can't pronounce the word, it's understandable that someone may wonder if you "get" the concept.

I have a patient occasionally who always asks for her "Finnigrin and Dilauntin". It makes me clench my teeth, no matter how much I tell myself she is uneducated, etc etc. It's just irritating. I wish I could politely tell her that she's mispronouncing them, but that would result in a lower Press-Gainey score. LMAO.

[meluhn]

Mispronouncing words makes you sound ignorant and may undermine the patients trust in you. There was a whole thread on this topic a little while back.

[Vito Andolini]

Mispronouncing words doesn't make one less of a professional but it does get on my nerves. Please note, though, that words might be pronounced differently in different parts of the country. Or in different countries. RESPIRATORY in America sounds like the I in "spit" but like "spire" in Britain. Hey, as long as the patient is breathing...

I do think that saying "layer nix" should not happen when it is clear that the spelling is "layer inks", just like nuclear is not "nuke ya ler", despite Pres. Bush's pronunciation of the words.

Incorrect spelling causes me no end of grief, too, and it is getting more and more prevalent these days. Oh, God, my OCD is coming out!

[Vito Andolini]

I definitely think it reflects badly upon a professional (any professional) if they consistently mispronounce words. It's irritating to people, number one, so they get a fingernails on the blackboard type feeling, regardless if that is an appropriate response or not. Secondly, it just comes across as sloppy - if you can't pronounce the word, it's understandable that someone may wonder if you "get" the concept.

I have a patient occasionally who always asks for her "Finnigrin and Dilauntin". It makes me clench my teeth, no matter how much I tell myself she is uneducated, etc etc. It's just irritating. I wish I could politely tell her that she's mispronouncing them, but that would result in a lower Press-Gainey score. LMAO.

Or is it good Irish whiskey she's wanting? There's a time for everything! Of course, I see nothing wrong with you correcting her, nicely. You could even write it down for her. Maybe she's a visual learner.

[firstyearstudent]

Good communication skills make for a good nurse. Not only knowing the correct meaning of words, but knowing how to pronounce them correctly makes for good communication skills (unless you're answering questions in writing or using sign language or something like that). So poor pronunciation makes you less of a nurse than a nurse with comparable skills who pronounces correctly. There are many great nurses out there who either have poor communication skills in general or who can't pronounce words well or who have very thick accents. And these nurses are, in a sense less than they would be if they were communicating better and more correctly. It's definitely a handicap.

Maybe you just have a problem with how it was put. How about, "Pronouncing terms correctly is better and therefore makes you a better nurse."

[DNP54]

I haven't read the whole thread, only the opener, so maybe ya'll have covered this one...I noticed in different parts of the country, different pronunciations occur. I have learned to control my 'big eye' look whenever I hear one but for starters....there's AN-ginna and then in the midwest there's an-GINa, like lady parts. Then there was med ee ASTinum, but again in the heart land that shows up as MEEDI-a-STINE-um...it just digresses from there. The funniest one was bisacodyl which runs the gamut from bisc-O-dill to BIsa CO dill. I say, if you don't know, ask. I have never had anyone bust my chops for asking for the correct pronunciation, and if they give me the eyebrow, I mutter something like..."did i say that right?" Sometimes they will correct me but its usually something that is frequently mistaken so I don't feel like a total dork. Spelling is a bugger too. Rhus vs ROOS, which cracked me up. Or how about if you ever actually have to listen to dictations? Nothing against ESL physicians, but some of those can be hilarious....Zee patient vas prepped and draped in zee usual fashion...

[lovehospital]

Again, having an accent does not mean you cannot correctly pronounce words.

Yeah,well I wonder what is worse because in both cases you can barely understand what the person is talking about...

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

My professor says it anGINA like in lady parts as well, is this not correct?? it's how I have always heard it and said it.

[lovehospital]

there's a reason why they say english is the hardest language!

Actually it is considered one of the easiest...