One thing that is nails on chalkboard to me is when I hear my fellow nurses use double negatives and other blatant grammar mistakes. I'm speaking of English as a first language, domestically born and raised people.
I feel as this detracts from the professional image of nursing. We are supposed to be educated professionals. Poor grammar makes nursing look like a blue collar trade to those who are educated, such as our physicians and many members of the public.
Let me clarify that I don't harshly judge the intelligence or moral character of people with poor grammar. But, I feel strongly that nurses should project an image of being educated professionals in our speech and demeanor. Thanks for reading.
This is a toughie!!! I work with a diverse group of people, many of whom had humble beginnings and came from areas where they are the first to become a success in their families. Language and grammer are representative of how your family and friends speak, where you were educated(as a child) and sometimes your ethnicity. I am not sure how I could say anything to a coworker about her/his double negatives, axe instead of ask, sucking on teeth, and hundreds of other things without sounding like a witch! The grammar police did nothing with them during college or in their programs where this should've been addressed during those classes that dealt with hiring and first impressions are taught. The HR departments don't deal with this because it could be potentially discriminatory.
I don't know how you can approach someone if they've never been corrected in their lives. As we've seen over these past 2 decades, the bastardization of the english language has increased and is now added to the dictionarys instead of being ignored. Kids with advantages attempt to sound "street", and teachers dumb down lessons. I believe it's going to get worse, before it gets better.
Almost forgot, was always told that respect for a patient or anyone else when discussing things started with speaking on their level. I don't need to use technical jargon unless I am speaking with someone with that background, in the same vein, I don't speak above my patients or anyone else. It's rude, and doesn't prove anything.
As far as spelling, I am convinced that no one knows how to spell anymore! When my kids went to grammar school, they were told to spell anyway they wanted to! As long as they could write that was good enough....WHAT!! Now they are in college, both pursuing careers in medicine, good SAT scores-A students. Actually, the spelling of the physicians is so bad that sometimes I want to ask them how they managed med school. Also I am sure IM on phones is further denigrating our kids spelling.
Specializes in LTC & Med-Surg, L&D, Pre-Op Clinic.
Bad grammar does make someone sound unproffesional, regardless of the profession. My daughter just started kindergarten and her teacher asked her to "Go carpet" she also asked if anyone "Go potty?"
My daughter came home and told me that her teacher talked like a baby. Luckily the principal asked my daughter to switch classes to even out enrollment numbers! If she didn't switch I was going to have to talk to the teacher...
Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
I do not actually speak standard English being a Scot but I can if I need to! A lot of my residents speak the local Scots and have difficulty understanding English or the Abbreviated English that some of the Non British workers use.We therefore usually tailor our speech to what works best with a particular resident.
I am not very harsh in my judgments of people when they make a few slips here and there. Most of us make a few mistakes now and then (including me) and I understand that. The same thing with spelling in places like this. The spell-checker here doesn't work for me and I can't catch all my typos.
What really bothers me are the people who truly don't understand the meanings of the phrases they use and therefore use them incorrectly. For example, someone will say "I could care less" when they really mean "I couldn't care less." If they paid attention to the words they use, they would realize that they were incorrect, but they don't bother listening.
Similarly, I hate it when students are sloppy with their grammar when writing papers. It tells me that they didn't put much effort into them and I am quick to take points off. If I believe someone really tried to write a good paper, I will be more likely to give them the benefit of any doubts when I grade their work.
As for "orientated" ... I hate that word. I know it is technically a word, but it is an unnecessary word adding an unneccessary syllable to the perfectly good words, "orient" and "oriented." I hate the way it sounds.
I also have a pet peeve against using the word "impacted" to mean that something had an impact upon something else. I know it is technically correct, but I still don't like it. I would rather say that something affected something else. "Impacted" makes it sounds like it caused an impaction -- which may not be the case.
I also have a pet peeve against using the word "impacted" to mean that something had an impact upon something else. I know it is technically correct, but I still don't like it. I would rather say that something affected something else. "Impacted" makes it sounds like it caused an impaction -- which may not be the case.
How about "I've been impacted by my lack of activity and usage of percocet?"
I use poor grammar at work like "we ain't got no soap".
However, when I'm writing a paper for school, giving a presentation at work, teaching a patient, conversing with other departments and MDs, I try my best to speak like the educated intelligent professional that I am.
But every day to day talk with my peers having a casual conversation, I speak local dialect.
I hope I irritate the dickins out all of y'all. You wouldn't dare correct me. I don't get amused with people correcting my grammar when I'm outside of English class. Makes me vomick.
Hmmm....reincarnated sister of charity with a screen name of pink sugar. You got me!! It's been along time since I was in a spelling bee. Good catch, I hate to say it but very few people today would.
I also hate orientated, I hear impacted all the time to describe "fecal impaction" ..I guess it's just a short way of stating the obvious.
There is one word that drives me crazy...Pattem. One of our schedulers calls our pattern(we have set 28 day cycles) a pattem. It drives me nuts!! What is worse, is that many of the nurses use the same word...white, black, hispanic, etc.
I cringe thinking what Google would put out in the spotlight in some posts I see every day.
Variations of spoken dialects and local idiosyncracies in proununcation don't usually bother me. But I cannot understand why some people lack the internal "switch" that changes when you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
And while we're on the topic ... I've been a heavy internet user since the early 90s. I've seen plenty of fads of usage in IMs and message board posts come and go. But WHAT is up with the BIZARRE usage of "et" to mean "and"?? It doesn't save a significant amount of typing - using the ampersand character would be faster. Ugghh ... like nails on a chalkboard ...
I use poor grammar at work like "we ain't got no soap".
However, when I'm writing a paper for school, giving a presentation at work, teaching a patient, conversing with other departments and MDs, I try my best to speak like the educated intelligent professional that I am.
But every day to day talk with my peers having a casual conversation, I speak local dialect.
I hope I irritate the dickins out all of y'all. You wouldn't dare correct me. I don't get amused with people correcting my grammar when I'm outside of English class. Makes me vomick.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Guilty as charged.
I use poor grammar at work like "we ain't got no soap".
However, when I'm writing a paper for school, giving a presentation at work, teaching a patient, conversing with other departments and MDs, I try my best to speak like the educated intelligent professional that I am.
But every day to day talk with my peers having a casual conversation, I speak local dialect.
I hope I irritate the dickins out all of y'all. You wouldn't dare correct me. I don't get amused with people correcting my grammar when I'm outside of English class. Makes me vomick.
I agree with Tweety, although I have never used poor grammar at work. I am guilty of using it on the net. And one of my greatest mistakes is my poor spelling. I generally use spell check but don't all the time. But if anyone one comments or attempts to corect me, watch out.
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Not that I am trying to pick you apart or anything - I make mistakes like this constantly!
MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN
1,082 Posts
This is a toughie!!! I work with a diverse group of people, many of whom had humble beginnings and came from areas where they are the first to become a success in their families. Language and grammer are representative of how your family and friends speak, where you were educated(as a child) and sometimes your ethnicity. I am not sure how I could say anything to a coworker about her/his double negatives, axe instead of ask, sucking on teeth, and hundreds of other things without sounding like a witch! The grammar police did nothing with them during college or in their programs where this should've been addressed during those classes that dealt with hiring and first impressions are taught. The HR departments don't deal with this because it could be potentially discriminatory.
I don't know how you can approach someone if they've never been corrected in their lives. As we've seen over these past 2 decades, the bastardization of the english language has increased and is now added to the dictionarys instead of being ignored. Kids with advantages attempt to sound "street", and teachers dumb down lessons. I believe it's going to get worse, before it gets better.
Maisy;)