Mispronunciations That Drive You Nuts

Updated:   Published

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?!

Personally, being in OB, I wish women would learn the word lady parts!

I had a man who actually was at the office due to an "issue with his weiner".....

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.

My patient told me he had an "umbiblical hernia" when he was little.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

-Zyprexia for Zyprexa

-Rispairodal for Risperdal

-Diabetical for Diabetic (a nurse actually said diabetical and was serious)

-Lasik for Lasix

-Dilauda for Dilaudid

-Narco for Norco

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geri-Psych/Med-surg/ER.
Sassy-RN said:
I had a patient that told me she has ortho static HIPPO-tension...

I get that after about my 4th twelve hour shift. LOL

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
This is one mispronounced just as much by staff as patients: Phenergan pronounced as feh-nuh-gren. Irritating.

But I also got to hear 'craniostomy' in place of 'colonoscopy' and THAT one made me LOL for real :) (heads...butts....for some it's all the same!!)

And as long as we're on endo: how about colostoppy, clonostoppy, and colonectomy. Ouch!

That one drives me crazy, too.

How about when staff say "Halter" monitor? It's Holter, for Pete's sake!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

-Diabetical for Diabetic (a nurse actually said diabetical and was serious)

What about...a diabolical...diabetical? Goes around stabbing people with insulin pens. :) I should stick to one sleep schedule.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MICU.

So many phone calls from families: "is he still on the incubator?" (Ventilator)

We also have a doc from Poland that orders normal "sah-leen" and once ordered "zero-minus" blood

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dilaudid = Di la la

Diluted

Did laudid

The good stuff

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
That one drives me crazy, too.

How about when staff say "Halter" monitor? It's Holter, for Pete's sake!

YES! And let's not forget when we hear in report that a patient "is statting in the 90's", or "has an 02 'stat' of 92". Did no one ever think the reason for "SAT" is it's short for "saturation"??? (or maybe they do think it means 'staturation'. Hmmm...)

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
npgirl23 said:
My grandmother has a yearly colonostomy......I've given up trying to tell her she's having a colonoscopy.

I once had a pt family member telling me the surgical history and he kept saying that she'd had "the vegetable surgery". I finally figured out his wife had previously had a cabg.

Sent from my overpriced Apple device

"The vegetable surgery" Haha, ? That is great.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

We also have a doc from Poland that orders normal "sah-leen" and once ordered "zero-minus" blood

O neg?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Dilaudid = Di la la

Diluted

Did laudid

The good stuff

I would probably be pronouncing it like that after a couple IVPs

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion