nurses and spelling

Published

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.

Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
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.

LOL - they're mandating that you date black guys? Asking? That is too funny.

I make the same fast-typing error (oin) and several others that I am constantly having to fix. I may be a stickler but perfection is not my thing either. And for the record, my laptop screws me over constantly - always doing wonky things with my posts, like completely erasing them like now - I just typed a response and my laptop apparently decided to eat it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
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, :p 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!

There would be a lot more than bargaining in this house! I have 4 sons - all at or near their teens - and they despise the whole "vampire" genre. They despise the hysteria surrounding the genre. Luckily I don't have to negotiate with them too often about reading - they read circles around me. It makes me happy. :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
Do you think being a type A personality or B personality factors in to how much spelling and grammar matters?

I don't. I am "type B" to a T (haha) and I am a super-stickler for proper language usage.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
I'm a type A. No, type B. Yeah, type B. Nah, type A.

That makes me type A, B, B, A.

I'm type ABBA.

Are you a dancing queen, by any chance? :p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in N/A.
Why, in God's name, would you believe that people "hide behind spelling and grammar mistakes"?

And why, in God's name, do you think they would do this to feel "super smart and special"?

I never stop being amazed that some people, like you, it would appear, automatically believe the worst about others. Can't someone just have a genuine, non-malicious point of view, even if it differs from your own?

And no, one who misspells often is not "obviously" an idiot.

Because I'm not stupid and I KNOW for a fact certain people do.

Let me help explain to you what I meant......why in God's name (since I guess we have to bring Him into this....) I feel that way.

What OTHER reason would a person have for pointing out someone's grammar and spelling mistakes...? Unless that person is you teacher, or a very involved boss, or a good friend...and they are just trying to help you learn to spell (which is rarely the case).

When someone HERE for example rips into another member because their post is misspelled and poorly written, they aren't doing it to "help" the poster......they're doing it to build themselves up by pointing out other's flaws. It's the "You think I'M stupid, well look at how dumb she is!" mentality that many people seem to possess. It's not like they're sending PM's....

And okay, you DONT KNOW ME FROM ADAM, so why are you judging me again? Talk about expecting the worst from others? You're a champ at it! I never one time said I believe people are bad, but I 100% stand by what I said about people pointing out other's spelling mistakes. You tell me what the other "genuine" and "non-malicious" motive would be for pointing out your peer's (not your best friend, Im talking co worker or boss) spelling mistakes?

And yes, one who misspells often AND DOESNT MAKE MUCH SENSE (if you're gonna quote me, quote the whole thing honey) is obviously an idiot. Or crazy, one of two. Pick! LOL. My whole point was that one should EASILY be able to distinguish between someone who is smart and capable and maybe just has issues with spelling versus someone who is genuinely not smart.

__________________________________

And once again people: FOREIGNERS! Maybe the reason they spell is alot instead of a lot is because they are still learning our language? Think about how long it would take someone to learn all of our phonetics and grammar. I can't imagine going over to India and learning even one of their 23 languages!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
Because I'm not stupid and I KNOW for a fact certain people do.

Let me help explain to you what I meant......why in God's name (since I guess we have to bring Him into this....) I feel that way.

What OTHER reason would a person have for pointing out someone's grammar and spelling mistakes...? Unless that person is you teacher, or a very involved boss, or a good friend...and they are just trying to help you learn to spell (which is rarely the case).

When someone HERE for example rips into another member because their post is misspelled and poorly written, they aren't doing it to "help" the poster......they're doing it to build themselves up by pointing out other's flaws. It's the "You think I'M stupid, well look at how dumb she is!" mentality that many people seem to possess. It's not like they're sending PM's....

And okay, you DONT KNOW ME FROM ADAM, so why are you judging me again? Talk about expecting the worst from others? You're a champ at it! I never one time said I believe people are bad, but I 100% stand by what I said about people pointing out other's spelling mistakes. You tell me what the other "genuine" and "non-malicious" motive would be for pointing out your peer's (not your best friend, Im talking co worker or boss) spelling mistakes?

And yes, one who misspells often AND DOESNT MAKE MUCH SENSE (if you're gonna quote me, quote the whole thing honey) is obviously an idiot. Or crazy, one of two. Pick! LOL. My whole point was that one should EASILY be able to distinguish between someone who is smart and capable and maybe just has issues with spelling versus someone who is genuinely not smart.

__________________________________

And once again people: FOREIGNERS! Maybe the reason they spell is alot instead of a lot is because they are still learning our language? Think about how long it would take someone to learn all of our phonetics and grammar. I can't imagine going over to India and learning even one of their 23 languages!

All I can say about this entire post is :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

Just to add a little humor, the best bumper sticker I ever saw said:

Bad Spellers of the World: UNTIE! :)

I can forgive poor grammer/spelling on online forums or facebook, and I am guilty of a few myself. What peeves me off is seeing it in the charting. These are someone's medical records and legal documents! We could at least make an effort to use proper English when charting. I always wonder when I read some charts what an attorney would think of the horrible grammar and spelling, and how he/she might use them against the nurse who wrote them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
Just to add a little humor, the best bumper sticker I ever saw said:

Bad Spellers of the World: UNTIE! :)

I can forgive poor grammer/spelling on online forums or facebook, and I am guilty of a few myself. What peeves me off is seeing it in the charting. These are someone's medical records and legal documents! We could at least make an effort to use proper English when charting. I always wonder when I read some charts what an attorney would think of the horrible grammar and spelling, and how he/she might use them against the nurse who wrote them.

YES. Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in N/A.
All I can say about this entire post is :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

If you can't think of anything intelligent to say, don't bother lol :)

edit:

See, you proved my point once again below. Do you realize you've replied to this thread more than ANYONE else, and with the most pointless replies, like "I agree!" or "That's funny!" You keep knit picking at everyone's posts, and you're not really adding anything to the conversation....

You just need attention.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

Ditto.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We could at least make an effort to use proper English when charting. I always wonder when I read some charts what an attorney would think of the horrible grammar and spelling, and how he/she might use them against the nurse who wrote them.

precisely.

only another way in which we nurses lack credibility.

and we wonder why we're treated like such doormats.

it all ties together.

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Do we have a popcorn smiley? :p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion