My age is showing, or 'No texting, please"

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Please, please, I beg of you, do not flame me! The recent spurt of extremely unprofessional posts is beginning to annoy me.

We ask to be treated like 'professionals', but some of us seem to communicate in a text-messaging style, or simply without regard to our audience. I don't expect perfection, but something better than 2nd grade level would be appreciated.

If you are unsure about spelling, at least be consistent. If you spell 'diarrhea' 3 different ways in one post I will wonder if you are even a health professional.

If you don't know how and when to use an apostrophe, find a basic punctuation guide, or google the info you need. In general, plural words DO NOT have an apostrophe. I never see anyone use an apostrophe with the word dogs, why do I see it with doctor's as in multiple doctors, or other simple words?

I know that sometimes we post after a long shift, or while in an acute emotional state, and certainly we can all understand some errors made in haste, but that is not what I am referring to.

Many of us remember when computers took up entire rooms, and seemed so futuristic; and no one had even heard of cell phones! Only the most elite had pagers years ago - we actually had to page on the overhead P.A. system! And paper charting was the norm!

Please have pity on those of us for whom texting is still a foreign language!

Thank you all for letting me vent about this! Best wishes for everyone during the spring holidays!

LOL... I'm not a texter myself but I have gotten used to it. There's still some words that I don't like to abbreviate, but I have to. I try to get all my points across in one text, saves me the typing/keying. Sometimes, it backfires though. Also, when it comes to people texting me, I'm somehow obligated to text back. I don't know... is there some kind of a 'texting rule book' I'm missing? Texting has become the new 'phone tag', that's for sure.

I can't get used to it being used as the written equivalent of "talking" - which to me is what a "discussion board" is. True texting is one thing, and I can do it with the best of them, but a message board's a different animal entirely.

Specializes in TSICU, Renal Transplant, IR, Cath Lab.
I can't get used to it being used as the written equivalent of "talking" - which to me is what a "discussion board" is. True texting is one thing, and I can do it with the best of them, but a message board's a different animal entirely.

Wouldn't it be great if someone would invent a device with which one could actually talk with the other person, so our thumbs wouldn't get so tired? :lol2: LOL (Sorry -- just couldn't resist.)

I completely agree. I don't mind the typos and misspellings (and even the "alternative grammar" which sometimes makes it v. difficuolt to figure out what the poster is trying to say :)), but I draw the line at "text speak." I don't mind (and even use) the occasional "LOL," etc. -- but when I see an entire post in "text speak" I simply assume anyone who considers that a reasonable way to communicate in a public forum has nothing to say that interests me, and skip over that post.

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Or one can just type their comments on Word, spell and grammar check it, and then copy and paste it here. :yeah:

Specializes in TSICU, Renal Transplant, IR, Cath Lab.
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Hylo meloy! Pesale spot taht!

I can't get used to it being used as the written equivalent of "talking" - which to me is what a "discussion board" is. True texting is one thing, and I can do it with the best of them, but a message board's a different animal entirely.

I see what OP is saying, what you and what most people are saying in here. But, Allnurses is a recreational site. I didn't even know that there was a thread/section about ghost stories 'til now? People use 'text talk' on Myspace, Facebook, etc., all the time for their status -- sometimes I don't even know what they're talking about. Allnurses is getting to that point were it is seen more as a semi-social networking site. It doesn't surprise me if the profiles end up looking more like Facebook in the future. I have to admit though, I understand now why people get addicted to this site. So far, I have 'Allnurses addiction' syndrome, I'm trying to get rid of it. Well, summer is coming up... maybe that'll help me get rid of my syndrome!

People use 'text talk' on Myspace, Facebook, etc., all the time for their status -- sometimes I don't even know what they're talking about. Allnurses is getting to that point were it is seen more as a semi-social networking site. It doesn't surprise me if the profiles end up looking more like Facebook in the future.

Yes, they do, and I consciously avoid sites like Myspace, Facebook, etc. If allnurses is going to continue to get more like them, I'll just eventually quit participating here (and I'm guessing that a lot of the other "old fogeys" (experienced, knowledgeable nurses) will, too). So far, I've just been able to avoid the "Facebook-like" features of the site and use the site on my own terms, but if the text-speak takes over, I'm outa here.

(I notice that the TOS for the site still states: "Desiring to maintain professionalism, text speak (also known as chatspeak, txtspk, texting language or txt talk) is discouraged. Along with using proper English spelling and punctuation, this shows respect for the owner, other bulletin board members & guests and makes it easier to read your important thoughts.")

Specializes in ICU.

It has nothing to do with your age, and I completely agree.

Nothing to do with age.

I always cringe when I see co-workers mis-spell something little, and I am the first to point it out. I am a snob about proper grammar and people always go down a notch in my book when they can't communicate to me with proper English.

My niece drives me crazy with the "text talk" in her emails to me, and I think that if we are a place for professionals then we should "speak" as such even when typing.

Just my $0.02.

Wouldn't it be great if someone would invent a device with which one could actually talk with the other person, so our thumbs wouldn't get so tired? :lol2: LOL (Sorry -- just couldn't resist.)

Dude, you're killing me.... :) LOL!!! (ironically enough!)

Nothing to do with age.

I always cringe when I see co-workers mis-spell something little, and I am the first to point it out. I am a snob about proper grammar and people always go down a notch in my book when they can't communicate to me with proper English.

My niece drives me crazy with the "text talk" in her emails to me, and I think that if we are a place for professionals then we should "speak" as such even when typing.

Just my $0.02.

I am the worst grammar cop. EVER. I totally understand what you mean.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i agree.

we are so willing to accept the english malfunctions that they have now become the norm. the worst part is go visit human resources and ask to see the applications. they are not even recognizing their errors.:mad::crying2:

we just interviewed a nurse practitioner today whose resume was not only full of misspellings and typos, but she didn't even get her dates right. and this was her resume -- she should have known the dates!

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