Patients knowing medical lingo

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Do you like it when patients know the basic medical lingo like sub-q, IM, the name of their disorder or diesease, and other such stuff?

Specializes in Med/Surge.

I had a situation on my first day with a patient that was very comfortable using medical lingo and throwing around all kinds of diagnosis. I am a new nurse so it kind of got me wondering what's really going on with this patient? When I started thinking about it and the conversation that we had I kind of figured out that she has some mental problems like a somatoform disorder and was acheiving secondary gains from her illness along those lines not to mention the fact that she was skin and bones. The other nurses were annoyed by her where as I was fascinated to delve in a little deeper and try to look at the whole picture.

I think it is better for the GP to be knowledgeable about their illness, meds, and treatments b/c sometimes they get the wrong information and that's where we can help in getting it straight. I would much rather have someone who knows about their condition than the standard answer "I dunno".

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I need to throw in this too - when it is my loved one who is seriously ill, sometimes I can't be the nurse as well as the family member. My oldest son who is now 25 has had several admissions over the years. He is doing very well now, but I know that several healthcare providers thought I was dumb as a box of rocks because of some of the questions I asked. It is so different when it is your much-loved relative who is in critical condition, especially when it is sudden. I try to be very cautious and try to read the families I deal with in order to give the information (and repeat it too) when I have to give bad news. In the ER, this is often, unfortunately.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I need to throw in this too - when it is my loved one who is seriously ill, sometimes I can't be the nurse as well as the family member. My oldest son who is now 25 has had several admissions over the years. He is doing very well now, but I know that several healthcare providers thought I was dumb as a box of rocks because of some of the questions I asked. It is so different when it is your much-loved relative who is in critical condition, especially when it is sudden. I try to be very cautious and try to read the families I deal with in order to give the information (and repeat it too) when I have to give bad news. In the ER, this is often, unfortunately.

EXCELLENT POST! I know people want and need to take control in their own health/disease situations. There is a BIG difference in being educated, informed and participative (I don't like the term "compliance, as it denotes an inferior role for the patient) and having a "little too much dangerous knowledge".

I don't like situations involving those who "know it all" and dont' listen to anything we say----or manufacture illnesses for themselves based on their "education" (hypochondria?). Or, try to manipulate us with the knowledge they do have. Surely everyone here as met those people, too, and can discern the differences I am discussing here. I agree with traumanurse; I must give up the role of "nurse" when a patient myself (and I have been several times lately) or a family member is ill. It's hard, but necessary to be healthy and most benefit.

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Specializes in Home Health Care,LTC.
thank you very much! unless i go into labor before then, they'll take place on exactly the same day. :chuckle

congradulations!!!!!!!!! on the baby and graduation. i hope you are able to make it through graduation. please keep us posted about the baby.

good luck

angie

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I find that most of my pateints w/ chronic illnesses DO know a lot more about their conditions than I do. After all, they have lived w/ it for many years. They speak from experience. However, if they come in with, say maybe a parent or a spouse, and spout that "little bit of knowledge" as it applied to them but doesn't apply to the current pt, then that is irritating to me.

But, for the most part, I enjoy having pts who are knowledgeable....after all, it's less teaching that I have to do. And I certainly don't mind them using the "lingo".

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Thanks, Angie. Of course, I'll only be able to attend one of the events. I wonder which it will be. :rolleyes: :chuckle I guess graduation will have to wait until I get my RN! I'm definitely going to have to splurge and go for the premium membership so I can post alllll my new baby photos and get on everyone's nerves. Ok, back to topic.. sorry everyone. :stone

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

good luck on your graduation/future career and congrats on the new baby nursewannabe.

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I think the nurse practitioner at my kids' pediatrician's office was amused when my 7-year-old knew that, based on the results of her CBC, we would know whether she was ill because of a virus or bacteria, and furthermore, that if it was a virus, antibiotics wouldn't help her.

Do you think I'm using my kids as study partners too much?

Richele

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

rofl Richelle!

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Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.

I've been on the patient-side of this for the past 3 years. (Pretty long story, so I apologize in advance!)

I started having bizarre symptoms (too many to list here) before I started nursing school. I was tested for lymphoma, leukemia, sarcoidosis, RA, breast cancer- got bounced from specialist to specialist. I kept records of my symptoms, drugs, specialist consultations, labs- everything. Had lots of diagnostic imaging done, so I got copies of the scans whenever possible, or got the radiologist's report if not. I did this because (1) I'm a firm believer that *I* care more than anyone else about my well-being, and (2) I thought giving each doctor my actual medical records would be more helpful than just my oral history.

During this time period, I started nursing school. Went to a heme-onc doc to be checked for lymphoma, and he started our discussion with, "when I was in medical school, there were always a few students who felt they had every disease we studied...." :angryfire I know there are true hypochondriacs in the world, but this guy was incredibly dismissive because (a) i was a nursing student, (b) I kept good records, and © I wouldn't shut up and go home when someone said I was fine. (I was in constant, severe pain and had recurrent high fevers and night sweats, palpable abdominal masses, etc.)

At one point, I got referred to a breast cancer surgeon, who was the FIRST DOCTOR to ask details about my menstrual cycle- which was, in fact, really messed up-I was bleeding heavily for 18-21 days, then I'd stop for four or five, then bleed again for 3 weeks, all while on the pill. (Incidentally, this was documented in my symptom records, and I mentioned it with all the previous docs.) She referred me to a specialty gyn surgeon, who did an exploratory lap, and diagnosed me with widespread endometriosis.

My symptoms worsened, and eventually I got referred to another specialty gyn surgeon at a teaching hospital. I handed him my files, and he was *very* appreciative- he was technical in his discussions with me, and was happy to explain anything I didn't understand, but didn't blow me off when I used correct terminology or hypothesized about what could be going on.

Finally, this past march, he did another lap-my 2nd lap in eight months. None of my symptoms were typical for endo, and I asked the surgeon to look in my upper abdomen (which the first doc refused to do). Lo and behold, he found I had tons of adhesions in my upper abdomen- in fact, these adhesions were severe in the area of my intestines and liver, as well as my bladder and the upper section of my uterus. EXACTLY where I'd been having pain.

For the first time in three years, I'm able to function normally again, and my periods are starting to become regular again. My pain is finally starting to diminish. I'm approaching happiness, something I'd completely lost.

If I hadn't been diligent about my records and symptom history, I probably would never have gotten a correct diagnosis. At the same time, I faced a lot of resistance with many of the doctors (and nurses) who treated me when I presented my records or offered my opinions. I know it's easy to assume that a patient like me is an overreacting hypochondriac, but I think it's imperative to rule out medical 'zebras' before making this conclusion about a patient.

One good thing about this experience is that I'm passionate about encouraging patients to educate themselves and take responsibility for their own health.

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Specializes in pediatrics.
What I find funny is when patients or their family members have a very small knowledge of medical lingo, but will find a way to throw the few words that they know around.

I had a pt's husband ask me the other day if I was going to TITRATE my IV drip rate. I said well ... its lactated ringers and they are on the pump at 125 mL/hr which is the doctor's ordered rate. He says yes, but I didn't see you count the drops per min to confirm accuracy. :uhoh3: I had to keep insisting to him that IT WAS ON A PUMP that is designed to run at the speed you program in.

It always makes me chuckle a little when father's ask me if they need to SCRUB IN to observe a lady partsl birth.

It seems if you watch ER regularly, you are suddenly an expert. I think the concept of knowledge without understanding is more prevalent with the introduction of the internet. I had a family with a newborn myleomenigocele who were terrified by the info they read on the internet regarding latex allergies. Unfortunately, they did not realize that it does automatically occur at birth, it develops after repeated exposures.

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I think it's great that patients have knowlege of their health/plan of care. There have been times as a new nurse I have learned things from patients who live with certain chronic diseases. Patients need to know what is going on with them.

What I can't stand is the gratuitious use of medical "jargon" by patients or often family/visitors just to show they know it. Some things like "NPO" are kind easy understand and patients pick up on them easily while in the hospital. Like one poster mentioned...when I talk in layman's terms and someone pipes up and translates it into medical jargon...like I didn't understand it. I use it with patients if necessary...but other than that I save it for communications between staff and doctors.

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