nurses and spelling

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I believe nurses to be some of the most well educated, bright and savvy professionals across all disciplines. My question is, why can't a large majority spell? I am talking basics here, for example their, there and they're. Is this a general failure of education or specifically science-oriented curriculum? It is embarassing.

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I believe nurses to be some of the most well educated, bright and savvy professionals across all disciplines.
i disagree, the education level needed to become a nurse is kinda low (diploma, adn).

My question is, why can't a large majority spell? I am talking basics here, for example their, there and they're. Is this a general failure of education or specifically science-oriented curriculum?
nurses can spell, the errors are easily figured, like the one you pointed out. although nurses are professional, unlike many professionals, each nurse doesn't have a secretary to do all their paperwork (double check spelling, etc) for them.
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Specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

Their, there, and they're is not a spelling issue, it is a grammar issue. Anyway, I don't think it is just nurses (and I don't feel it is a majority of nurses either) that have issues with correct spelling. I've seen it in other professions such as journalists, lawyers, retail, etc. I feel that the emphasis on spelling in our educational system has taken a back seat because of "spell check." After grade school, I had one class from 6th grade through my college graduation that counted spelling on an assignment that wasn't typed. I believe that is the root of this problem :twocents:

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I have also noticed a great deal of misspelling among my colleagues recently. My biggest pet peeve is "your" rather than "you're" - makes me cringe every time. With our busy schedules, I know there are more important issues, but I do wish people would just use the spell check once in a while.

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Double kudos to you! My brother-in-law's wife (an RN who thinks she's God's gift to the world) can't spell, or knows the difference between to, too and two.

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Specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.
I have also noticed a great deal of misspelling among my colleagues recently. My biggest pet peeve is "your" rather than "you're" - makes me cringe every time. With our busy schedules, I know there are more important issues, but I do wish people would just use the spell check once in a while.

Spell check won't pick that up. Those two words are spelled correctly. People need to check their grammar in addition to their spelling. :banghead: This is a huge pet peeve of mine as well.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I can deal with someone mistaking the proper word usage (since the examples you gave are spelled correctly) more than (or is it then, I can never get it right) the same topic being posted constantly. :| That's just me though. If I can understand what a person is saying without having to try and decipher it all, I am good. After all, Nurses went into the field of nursing, they did not become English majors, so I wouldn't expect perfection. Some people have a harder time grasping things that seem easy for others but they can still be great what they do.

BTW, from a patient point of view, I am going to remember the type of nurse I had, I will remember how they treated me, how they communicated, how they cared for me etc. etc. I can guarantee you, I am not going to look down on them and remember that they might have used the wrong, their or then.

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Specializes in Med/surg/tele/OR.
I believe nurses to be some of the most well educated, bright and savvy professionals across all disciplines. My question is, why can't a large majority spell? I am talking basics here, for example their, there and they're. Is this a general failure of education or specifically science-oriented curriculum? It is embarassing.

I think that you are very rude!!

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I think that you are very rude!!

I think she/he is very right.

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You are right - it is a grammar issue and something we should all remember from grammar school! I wonder if all of the abbreviations and short cuts in the health care vernacular is a contributing factor - not to mention texting and Facebook!

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
I think that you are very rude!!

I don't see how a personal observation (i.e., that a large majority of the nurses OP has come into contact with can't spell) could be considered "rude". She didn't say "why are so many nurses idiots?" - that would have been rude. I too have noticed this phenomenon - many nurses I work with have atrocious spelling and grammar. I can't tell you how many times I have heard something along the lines of "that patient should have went to the OR", or read something such as "hemmorage". Hemorrhage is actually a tough word to spell. But I see obvious words misspelled as well, and very often.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
You are right - it is a grammar issue and something we should all remember from grammar school! I wonder if all of the abbreviations and short cuts in the health care vernacular is a contributing factor - not to mention texting and Facebook!

I don't see what facebook, texting, or shortcuts have to do with using the wrong their/they're/there in a sentence :|

I have always struggled with the using some of the correct words that have different spellings for the same word. The one above, then and than, to and too. I don't usually have a problem with a lot of them though, like know and no or won or one, if I do ever misuse that it is not because I don't know any better, it's because I simply was in a hurry and didn't realize I did it.

I know I will make a great nurse.

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