Hello! I took Introduction to Nursing last semester at my college. My teacher was an older women who still worked as a nurse at a local hospital. She also teaches other classes at our school. During a lecture one day, she continually used the word "retarded" to describe cognitively impaired people. It took me by surprise because I thought "intellectually disabled" and "cognitively impaired" were the appropriate terms to describe someone who is mentally retarded.
I want to make it clear that she was not saying anything negative about intellectually disabled people. But it did make me concerned that other people around me might have children or siblings who have this and it might hurt their feelings.
Is it normal for people in the health care profession to continue to use the word "retarded?" Keep in mind my teacher was older but she is still active as a nurse. Not a post bashing my teacher or people who use the word "retarded." I am just genuinely curious on the usage of this word in modern times.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
As a nurse do you use the term "gay"?
I work in Peds so have never found the need anywhere to use "gay" to describe my patients
In my teen population i would chart sexually active with males, females or both.
That is an interesting question, using the term "gay" in our professional capacity.
I am pretty sure that I have not utilized that as a descriptor when I have had gay patients in either hospice or home care, I just described their relationships as they related to the care and quality of life, etc. For instance, I might indicate that the patient lived with significant other (Linda) who will be primary care giver, etc.
Retard is a transitive verb (a holding back or slowing down). Like so many other words, it has been misused and abused and has been used to cause others emotional pain. There is nothing wrong with the word itself and it's use is fine if the intent and context is proper. IMHO
I've horrified people by the use of the word "demented" in describing patients with dementia. Its along those same lines. It's true, and it's a word used to describe their condition. I'm sure it can be hard for her to keep up with what is "PC" now and what isn't if she's been teaching for many years.
When I worked in Texas, a patient was always referred to as developmentally disabled. When I moved to NY, I noticed MR was used as a descriptor while giving report. I was taken aback at first but now it just seems like another medical acronym.
I have 3 special needs relatives in my life I grew up with, btw, if that matters.
A thought on "gay" and it's use: I once had a conversation with a patient in which I was telling him about an organization in our community that had many members who would be identified as homosexuals (as a way of letting him know what his comfort level might be there, as I was familiar with it). Turns out he didn't like my saying "homosexual"; he preferred "gay". Actually, STRONGLY preferred it, disliked the term 'homosexual'. He wasn't angry with me, he was......educating me. Except such "education" is useless when all I was getting was his personal preference!
Ok, got that....but it does get tough to figure out WHAT to say to ANYONE nowadays, even if you have the very best of intentions! One person prefers 'homosexual', another 'gay'. And vice versa. One person prefers 'mentally retarded', and another prefers 'developmentally disabled'. How on earth is anyone supposed to get it right?
Seems to me we should just keep in mind the intention, and go from there.
I work with a couple nurses who still use that word. Both are older and they are using it in situations not related to patients, but to situations that make no sense. Some nurses still use CPMR to refer to some of our severely neurologically affected patients as an abbreviations, but never use the "r" word by itself. I am not saying this is right or there are better things that can be used to describe these patients.
"Idiot" used to be a clinically-defined word with a specific meaning, along with "moron" and others, on a continuum. That's gone too. That's the point. Check the article.
"He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot." Groucho
A thought on "gay" and it's use: I once had a conversation with a patient in which I was telling him about an organization in our community that had many members who would be identified as homosexuals (as a way of letting him know what his comfort level might be there, as I was familiar with it). Turns out he didn't like my saying "homosexual"; he preferred "gay". Actually, STRONGLY preferred it, disliked the term 'homosexual'. He wasn't angry with me, he was......educating me. Except such "education" is useless when all I was getting was his personal preference!
Ok, got that....but it does get tough to figure out WHAT to say to ANYONE nowadays, even if you have the very best of intentions! One person prefers 'homosexual', another 'gay'. And vice versa. One person prefers 'mentally retarded', and another prefers 'developmentally disabled'. How on earth is anyone supposed to get it right?
Seems to me we should just keep in mind the intention, and go from there.
I get what you're saying and oddly enough I agree. Nobody hates the PC police worse than me.
I would only argue that I don't know a single parent of a developmentally disabled child that doesn't hate the word retarded. Except a few that have posted here. I wonder how many times they had to hear it before it wore a callous on their heart.
I'm not a softie by any stretch of the imagination, but the word "retarded" just levels me. I think because I feel the insult for my child, and that's a place I'm vulnerable.
It might be because we never ever say that word in my house, I don't use it, and she doesn't hear it often, but I wish you could see her face when she does.
It's an ugly word, with ugly connotations.
I say nothing at work when other people say "retarded". It's a free country.
Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.
I think the term is outdated. And most people find outdated terms offensive. For just about every word, there is a more acceptable alternative. People should take the time to find them, and use them.
LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN
1,316 Posts
As a nurse do you use the term "gay"?
I work in Peds so have never found the need anywhere to use "gay" to describe my patients
In my teen population i would chart sexually active with males, females or both.