Mispronunciations That Drive You Nuts

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Car-dee-ya-zem.

It's car-di-zem. Or dil-ti-ya-zem.

Cardiazem isn't a real thing.

Can I get an amen?!

Specializes in critical care.
I had a patient once who was a frequent flier, so that is why this has stuck with me. Instead of Darvocet, he would say darcevet.

Just reading this makes me happy it's no longer prescribed.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Has anyone covered em-path-ic vs em-pathetic? Which one is it? 

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
lilhemc said:
What about unable to differentiate the pronunciation of "Hypertensive" and "Hypotensive". Some people make them sound the same . . . ?! 

So I might just unwittingly be this person! In my dictation there were repeated times when "hyperactive" was transcribed as "hypoactive". Hypoactive?? Really in pediatric psych???

Umm NO.

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Specializes in critical care.
Jules A said:
Has anyone covered em-path-ic vs em-pathetic? Which one is it? 

Deanna Troi of the Starship Enterprise was empathic. We, as nurses, strive to be empathetic. Similar, but not the same.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Healthcare employees referring to adult BRIEFS as diapers!! And calling them "diapers" right in front of the pt.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Regarding centimeter vs sonometer I had never heard of sonometer until preapring for my FNP boards. Margaret Fitzgerald uses sonometer. I was kind of overwhelmed at the time and remember thinking there would be no way I could pass that exam if I was so stupid that I didn't even know what a sonometer was. :)

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Specializes in hospice.
Deanna Troi of the Starship Enterprise was empathic. We, as nurses, strive to be empathetic. Similar, but not the same.

I was so hoping for a Star Trek reference. Especially today.

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Specializes in critical care.
Red Kryptonite said:
I was so hoping for a Star Trek reference. Especially today.

The world is a little emptier. 

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Specializes in ER, Cardiac, Hospice, Hyperbaric, Float.

I can't believe no one has mentioned "vomicking" for "vomiting" yet! It's annoying when patients use it, but I had an instructor in nursing school who used it as well. She also said "scrawberry" and "screet". Sorry, if I went to the trouble to get an advanced degree, I think I'd save the "hometown" lingo for HOME. If you're going to present yourself as a professional to future professionals, then at least SOUND like a professional!

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I had a preceptor tell me that we have to ex-am-in-ate a patient and write our assessment. Couldn't suppress the giggles.

In L&D, I have heard umbilical cord mispronounced so many different ways, I can't list them all. The best was un-BIBLE-ca-bull cord. Still giggle at that one!

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I once had a patient that was "ejaculated" out of the sunroof during a rollover MVA.

Working in the ER many patients come in because they need to get a "tecknus" shot.

And one of my all-time favorites from a beloved (and very southern!) coworker--

"Did you already give that kid some

'Aye-bee-pro-feen' for his fever?"

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Specializes in hospice.

Heard one last night, from an experienced nurse: cox-sick instead of cox-six (coccyx).

Eh, she's Canadian eh. 

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