Nurse with potty mouth.

Nurses Relations

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We have an excellent nurse but she curses like a sailor. Anyone else work with a foul-mouthed nurse?

Specializes in mental health, military nursing.

I think that, in general, we all need to lighten up a bit. Unless you work in peds, we're all adults, and swearing is just part of the vernacular. When swearing hinders communication (or shows up in one's charting), or is done out of anger and spite, that's when it becomes a real problem.

I think that the elderly patients we spend so much time worrying about offending aren't remotely offended by the things we worry about. Tattoos, piercings, and mild swear words come to mind...

What patients are concerned with is quality care, a genuine and pleasant personality, and a demonstration of concern for their wellbeing and that of their family. Oh, and not giving them MRSA.

Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care, Cardiac, EMS.

There is a critical difference between dropping the occasional curse word under certain situations - "**** it, that hurt" or "**** we just lost a patient" - and not uttering a sentence without two or three f-bombs.

Also, when someone uses foul language with a certain amount of glee, it's quite obvious they are doing it for shock effect - like the toddler who has discovered that some words make Mommy react.

I am no prude, by any means - I have worked in the auto industry, in the restaurant business, and in the fire department before becoming an RN. I have heard, and used, salty language. I do not have delicate sensibilities to offend. I do, however, believe in professionalism at work - and continuous use of foul, course, and abusive (yes, abusive!) language is absolutely unprofessional - I stand by that statement.

I also choose to believe that what I say and how I say it reflects on the person that I am - other people have no other way to judge who I am, really. And I don't want to be judged as a person who uses that type of language in everyday conversation.

It isn't "cool." It isn't funny. It isn't approachable. It's low-class, rude, and stupid.

There are words we know we do not, or should not, use in everyday polite conversation. Racist terms, profanity . . . etc. I thought that professional, educated adults understood this. I hate to think I was wrong.

I'm curious, though: do you think anyone notices when someone doesn't cuss like a sailor? I just wonder if it's ever tempting to temper the swearing. It's never happened to me yet. The closest I have come to that is when a fellow student in the second semester of nursing school said to me, "I think it's cute how you say 'behind' instead of '@ $ $.'" :-/

yes, some DO notice.

i overheard my 19yo son telling his dad, "why can't you not swear, like mom?"

and his 16yo brother agreed.

it felt wonderful these 2 teens noticed.

There are words we know we do not, or should not, use in everyday polite conversation. Racist terms, profanity . . . etc. I thought that professional, educated adults understood this. I hate to think I was wrong.

i'm with you, tdf.

if others choose to cuss, that's fine.

i've set higher standards for myself.

i used to have a "potty mouth", but got sick of selling myself short.:twocents:

leslie

Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.

Totally agree with TDF.

In high school (very rural, low expectations of a county school), our teachers wanted better for us. We had vocabulary drilled into us, in extremis. All our teachers pounded into our heads that cursing was for people who had limited vocabularies and there are much better ways of expressing yourself that the standard "colorful metaphors."

That being said, however, I must plead guilty to the occasional "Oh, s@@@" when I see one of "those" rhythms or a plunging BP. Or, in response to "your patient looks @@@@@," I agree.

Our former potty mouth is gone. Came up endlessly on evals and in rounding with management. She'd clean up for awhile, then slide right back in.

"I've heard that cursing like a sailor is a requirement if you want to work in the ER. "

:D:D

Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
I have to watch myself because outside of work I cuss like a SAILOR...I'm more careful at work though.

This = me too.

I posted this on another thread just yesterday, but it's more appropriate here. A nurse friend once said to me, we all may be sweet and professional in the hallways and pt rooms, but turn the corner into the nurse's station and it's like stepping on a pirate ship!

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

Speaking for myself, I agree that how we present ourselves verbally is a reflection on who we are.

I tend to have a different problem. When interacting with patients/family members, I sometimes have to be reminded to speak in layman's terms. I've been criticized for appearing "too clinical", so I've worked on doing things like simplifying terminology and using a touch on the shoulder to communicate caring.

Point is, I'm far too busy worrying about my own practice to worry about what others are doing around me; unless, of course, patient safety is compromised. That should go without saying.

Specializes in School Nursing.

nothing more disgusting than someone you work with (or anyone for that matter) who constantly throws the "f-bomb" around all the time. totally uncalled for and not appropriate anytime ! :eek:

praiser :heartbeat

Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

Have to admit, I don't swear too much and I could care less if others do. Sometimes those swear words just fit the mood.

Who the $%#$ cares? I have to be honest, I don't. No shock effect. Just fit my sentence nicely.

I stand by that statement. :smokin:

Specializes in Emergency, CCU, SNF.

My last DON called me a "conversational cusser". I can have a pretty foul mouth but I always maintained at work. One evening, two aides were sitting on their behinds with call lights going off (not on their assignment, right?). One actually got up to see where it was coming from, then went back to her seat. I was setting up an IV atb so I couldn't answer it...I then announced pretty loudly, "Answer the damned thing instead of sitting on your ass!" As I said this I noticed family members sitting cross from me. I apologized to them, I really did feel horrible, I then went and told the supervisor about what I had done.

I did get a verbal warning about it, I deserved it, I guess. The upside was the family got a kick out of it, they thought it was pretty funny I was so embarrassed.

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