nurses and spelling

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I was reading my Sunday paper (local) just a few minutes ago and this article caught my eye. How very timely! Incidentally, I totally agree with whoever said that a big reason spelling, grammar etc are failing is because so few people actually READ anymore. Anyway, on with the article:
TYPO COULD COST YOU A JOB
Just one typo in a resume could cost you a job, according to a recent survey.

Three out of four executives said just one or two inadvertent strokes of the keyboard would remove an applicant from consideration for a job, while 40 percent said they would not hire a candidate who had a typo in their resume.

The telephone survey of 1,000 senior executives was conducted on behalf of staffing firm Accountemps, a unit of Robert Half International Inc.

"Employers view the resume as a reflection of the applicant," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of "Job Hunting For Dummies."

"If you make errors on your application materials, the assumption is you will make mistakes on the job."

To illustrate the point, Messmer offers these real-life errors made in resumes:

"Hope to hear from you shorty." (me - bahahahaha!!)
"Have a keen eye for derail." (yep, you sure do - you're derailing your own application...)
"Dear Sir or Madman," (that should go over like a lead balloon!)
"I'm attacking my resume for you to review." (with a resume like this, you SHOULD beat it down)
So there is one very good reason why correct spelling and proper grammar is so important. And how strange that it was in my Sunday paper.

I absolutely agree that anyone turning in a resume or something formal, whether it be a paper for school, a memo or email to employees, a handout and so on. It should be proofread and professional.

I just want to clarify that point, I am fortunate to have a few friends that excel with spelling and grammar and will proof my stuff for me. I would never advocate to turn something in like an application or a paper with errors on it and I proofread my childrens stuff for obvious errors that I see. I have had a child tell me (it's ok, our teacher doesn't care) my reply was, WELL I DO! I have even got on my teenager for some of the stuff on his facebook, I really can not understand why kids these days find it COOL to change the spelling on things. ON PURPOSE LOL

When I am posting about a few typos and errors and me not thinking badly of someone for it, I am talking about informal situations. Message boards, face book, a note scribbled on a paper. Stuff like that. I would hope one would take more care and time and effort when it comes to something formal and professional.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

See here is another post that talks about being a stickler for grammar and spelling while having misspelled words. I saw the same thing in another post (not of yours). I would think that if anyone is going to come down on someone about their spelling and grammar, they would make dang sure their post is perfect.
I have judged people before on many things, it is human nature to judge. I have NEVER judged one of my nurses on a few spelling or grammar errors. Even those I have pre-judged, I try to not let that get in the way.
Having a whole sentence or paragraph of text lingo, completely changing the spelling of a word (boi instead of boy, cuz or cos, prolly, dem, etc. etc.) are things I am less forgiving of. If I see a nurse write this same post I just quoted, with a couple of errors like I just found. I would not look at them as uneducated or judge them for it. If a nurse put the wrong usage of their or they're, again on something, I wouldn't look down upon them. You can tell the difference between a complete lack of professionalism and laziness, compared to a few errors. In my opinion.
I know I am not perfect, I don't expect others to be, but hey, that's just me.

A typo is a little bit different, IMO. I don't have a spell check feature on here, and I type quickly. Since my job isn't secretarial, a typo on occasion is not the same was what I was talking about in the first place.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

You also completely misread my intent. That doesn't surprise me, though.

CFitzRN, ADN · Mar 22, 2010

A typo is a little bit different, IMO. I don't have a spell check feature on here, and I type quickly. Since my job isn't secretarial, a typo on occasion is not the same was what I was talking about in the first place.

A typo - whether on a resume, a patient chart or a plan of care - and whether an accidental slip of the finger or simple misspelling or poor use of the language - can be a very bad thing for many reasons. I know people make honest mistakes, but my point is that people are just refusing to learn - or to use - proper grammar, spelling and sentence structure. There is no way there are that many people who suffer from dyslexia or other learning disabilities. It stems from our educational system not teaching the correct material, not encouraging reading for pleasure and yes, the cultural acceptance of horrendous use of language along with many people refusing to read (newspapers, books, articles - NOT "Cosmo"-type rubbish). It is a very systemic problem and has far-reaching consequences (I believe). I don't know if it is a regional thing, but I am bombarded with it here in the south. Absolutely bombarded. I am amazed at the scope of the problem.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

A typo is a little bit different, IMO. I don't have a spell check feature on here, and I type quickly. Since my job isn't secretarial, a typo on occasion is not the same was what I was talking about in the first place.

I just found it ironic those that claim to be such sticklers, would have errors. I personally don't find anything wrong with a few typos of misspellings on an informal setting, as I have stated numerous times and I am far from perfect. I would normally never even point it out, but since this thread is about nurses and spelling, I would think that someone who is going to claim to be a stickler with all things spelling and grammar related, would have a post free of spelling errors. That was the point I was making, everyone makes mistakes. It seems hypocritical to down someone for errors they might make while making them yourself

You also completely misread my intent. That doesn't surprise me, though.

Wow, not sure why the rudeness, I don't know you from adam and had no problem with you, but you obviously seem to have some distaste for me. This isn't the first time I have noticed it. Oh well, can't be liked by everyone! :)

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

A typo - whether on a resume, a patient chart or a plan of care - and whether an accidental slip of the finger or simple misspelling or poor use of the language - can be a very bad thing for many reasons. I know people make honest mistakes, but my point is that people are just refusing to learn - or to use - proper grammar, spelling and sentence structure. There is no way there are that many people who suffer from dyslexia or other learning disabilities. It stems from our educational system not teaching the correct material, not encouraging reading for pleasure and yes, the cultural acceptance of horrendous use of language along with many people refusing to read (newspapers, books, articles - NOT "Cosmo"-type rubbish). It is a very systemic problem and has far-reaching consequences (I believe). I don't know if it is a regional thing, but I am bombarded with it here in the south. Absolutely bombarded. I am amazed at the scope of the problem.

I completely agree with you...I mean a typo in posting a response on an anonymous internet forum. I type too fast for my own good, and usually can catch what I screw up, but it's not for lack of knowing how to spell. As I mentioned in another thread buried somewhere, I catch typos in books pretty frequently. If I'm creating a document, I will run a spell check (and 95% of the time, what it thinks I've misspelled is my name, and that's about it). I love to read, and devour books...a particularly good one, I won't put down until I'm through with it, which might take 2 or 3 days.

I didn't come down on anyone here in particular, which is what someone previously implied, but whatever. Whatever makes them feel good.

One of the match.com examples that comes to mind (and there were a lot...including "textspeak," which I don't even use when texting because it makes me twitch...no "c u l8r" from me, EVER):

Now, no one get offended and turn this in to a race issue. This is what the email was, and my reaction to it:

you date black guys

Is this a...question? "You date black guys?" An exclamation? "You date black guys!" An accusation? "You date BLACK GUYS?!?!"

This is what I was referring to in my post.

And for the record, no, I'm not spell checking this either, so anyone can feel free to jump on my typos (I fixed several, I tend to type "oin" instead of "ion" at the ends of words, for whatever reason...). If this was a memo or a resume, I would be.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I just found it ironic those that claim to be such sticklers, would have errors. I personally don't find anything wrong with a few typos of misspellings on an informal setting, as I have stated numerous times and I am far from perfect. I would normally never even point it out, but since this thread is about nurses and spelling, I would think that someone who is going to claim to be a stickler with all things spelling and grammar related, would have a post free of spelling errors. That was the point I was making, everyone makes mistakes. It seems hypocritical to down someone for errors they might make while making them yourself
Wow, not sure why the rudeness, I don't know you from adam and had no problem with you, but you obviously seem to have some distaste for me. This isn't the first time I have noticed it. Oh well, can't be liked by everyone! :)

Someone can be a stickler about something, but not be perfect. They're not the same. I didn't say I didn't excuse an occasional error. I know you know the difference between posts like that, and posts that make you want to gouge your eyes out.

I added the second part because you seem to jump on most things I say. So that part about not being able to be liked by everyone goes both ways.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

A typo - whether on a resume, a patient chart or a plan of care - and whether an accidental slip of the finger or simple misspelling or poor use of the language - can be a very bad thing for many reasons. I know people make honest mistakes, but my point is that people are just refusing to learn - or to use - proper grammar, spelling and sentence structure. There is no way there are that many people who suffer from dyslexia or other learning disabilities. It stems from our educational system not teaching the correct material, not encouraging reading for pleasure and yes, the cultural acceptance of horrendous use of language along with many people refusing to read (newspapers, books, articles - NOT "Cosmo"-type rubbish). It is a very systemic problem and has far-reaching consequences (I believe). I don't know if it is a regional thing, but I am bombarded with it here in the south. Absolutely bombarded. I am amazed at the scope of the problem.

I actually made a deal with my teen son to get him to read the twilight Series. It wasn't that I wanted him to turn into some Twilight fanatic like his mother, but I have to admit, I thought it was well written and their were many words in it I myself had to look up. I have lived all over the united states, and was an avid reader growing up. I was very surprised by how many words in the series I had never heard of and didn't know their meaning. I have read articles on some schools engaging the kids into reading this series for the same reason. The books referenced a lot more classic literature as well. Since my oldest son has more of the same problems I do, I thought it would be good for him. Let me tell you, their is a lot of bargaining involved in trying to convince a teen boy to read this particular set of books!

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I actually made a deal with my teen son to get him to read the twilight Series. It wasn't that I wanted him to turn into some Twilight fanatic like his mother, but I have to admit, I thought it was well written and their were many words in it I myself had to look up. I have lived all over the united states, and was an avid reader growing up. I was very surprised by how many words in the series I had never heard of and didn't know their meaning. I have read articles on some schools engaging the kids into reading this series for the same reason. The books referenced a lot more classic literature as well. Since my oldest son has more of the same problems I do, I thought it would be good for him. Let me tell you, their is a lot of bargaining involved in trying to convince a teen boy to read this particular set of books!

Did he actually read it? I'm impressed if he did, I can't see a teenage boy being interested. :) That's some good bargaining, right there.

I agree, though, I plowed through those books (except the last one, I'm too cheap to buy it before it comes out in paperback). Another good author to read (who quotes literature of all types, and it's fun to find the relevance) is Jodi Picoult. I've read (I think) all the books she's written.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

Someone can be a stickler about something, but not be perfect. They're not the same. I didn't say I didn't excuse an occasional error. I know you know the difference between posts like that, and posts that make you want to gouge your eyes out.
I added the second part because you seem to jump on most things I say. So that part about not being able to be liked by everyone goes both ways.

Funny you have felt this way, you have never even stood out to me until recently (as in the past couple days)when in another post you were downing a post I had made by quoting a lot of the things I had said, without directly addressing me. Then your dig in here, I find it odd you seem to think I jump on MOST things you say. I bet I would find that is a huge exaggeration if I were to actually go through post history. Anyway, oh well. It's not what this thread is about and my posts have pertained to that, not personal digs at people. My post wasn't the first post in this thread that pointed out errors by the very people that are adamant about not having them and even when I addressed your post I wasn't making it only pertaining to you, and like I said before, I am not one to judge someone on a few typos or misspellings.

But to get back to the topic at hand, I find it has turned into a rather good discussion with mostly respectful posts.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

Did he actually read it? I'm impressed if he did, I can't see a teenage boy being interested. :) That's some good bargaining, right there.
I agree, though, I plowed through those books (except the last one, I'm too cheap to buy it before it comes out in paperback). Another good author to read (who quotes literature of all types, and it's fun to find the relevance) is Jodi Picoult. I've read (I think) all the books she's written.

He is almost done with the second book! I also engage in conversation with him about them to make sure he is really reading them. I think he is starting to like them more now that their is a lot more action going on. Twilight and True Blood (which is the last series I read) are completely not the type of books I normally read at all. I never even read the Twilight books until this past June. I was so adamant not to turn into one of those crazy people and I finally caved to peer pressure and gave them a shot. I have read the whole series 7 times since then. I will have to check those out.

I used to be stuck in my True Crime, Drama and Scary books, I never read much of anything else. I was completely shocked I ended up likening a romance/super natural book. LOL When my son read the first book, he came out when he was about 3/4 through and said "That Edward sure is controlling" LOL

My 2 year old, well actually I guess she is 3 now. Not used to saying 3. Anyway, even she is a fan!!!

I can not do anymore non school related reading though until I am done with school. It just consumes me to much. I have a lot of friends trying to convince me to read a Stephanie Plum series?? Or something like that, I believe Plum is the last name of the character.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 22, 2010

I am normally a stickler for grammar and spelling. When I worked as a nurse, it drove me nuts to see some of the charting from other nurses. I charted meticulously; some of my colleagues seemed to simply barf random letters and words on the paper. The charting was where I excelled in nursing; my husband (an RN), on the other hand, could barf letters and words on paper with mind-boggling proficiency. His spelling is horrible, and his grammar is frightful.

I left nursing when my middle daughter was born and pursued a different career that suited me a bit better.

Guess which one of us in my marriage is the better nurse by a mile, and guess which one is the better medical transcriptionist?

To put it in perspective, learning spelling and grammar comes very naturally to some people and not to others. Unlike my husband, I can't find my way around the mechanics of our vehicles or appliances and I can't tell which direction I'm headed if I'm lost while driving. Can I learn these skills? Maybe I could, but they do not come easily to me and I will likely never be proficient in them.

However, if you write "loose" when you mean "lose" or ever write "HIPPA" on anything, I will vehemently roll my eyes.