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.
It's just shorthand, like you are shortened to 'ur', or by the way to 'BTW'.
I hurt my shoulder not long ago & love writing but have had 2 use some short cuts as my physio told me 2 cut down on typing, so this is what I've done.
In the old days, it was considered ignorant to use contractions such as 'I've' instead of 'I have'. It's just that English has changed that is all.
And no we aren't all ignorant. It's just the way of the world. I would not however do this at work.
I get so tired of this same theme being repeated on here again & again. I don't understand why people get so nit picky about little abberations. If I don't like something, or can't read it properly, I don't read all of it. I also don't watch TV programmes I don't like. Maybe if this annoys you don't read those reads, or don't continue to read them.
Specializes in Cardiology, Research, Family Practice.
Thank you! Orientate, irregardless and preventative are all English words created in the English language and used legitimately by English people. That's the original English language that you Americans ruined!
That may be the case, but I've watched enough BBC to know that not all of you have exactly mastered the Queen's English.
I'm doing the online RN-BSN degree path. Never in my life have I seen MORE grammatical errors and misspellings as I've seen on the discussion boards! How did these people get through nursing school?!
I'm doing the online RN-BSN degree path. Never in my life have I seen MORE grammatical errors and misspellings as I've seen on the discussion boards! How did these people get through nursing school?!
Oh my yes. I take a lot of online classes.
Last week our discussion board was labeled Week Four. So when we would start a thread, we would just titled it "Week Four DB"
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
It's funny that we did CPR on this thread again, because this EXACT theme came up in my OR today. The circulator usually does the "Time Out" prior to induction. We are training a new nurse, and we were preparing to do a laparoscopy and then a pancreatectomy. As the new nurse was reading from the consent while doing the time out, he said "laparotomy." I shake my head (I was scrubbed in) and he just looks at me-before I could correct him, the surgeon says that we are doing a laparoscopy, not a laparotomy and calmly explains the difference between the two. I see the new nurse a few minutes later in a lengthy phone conversation with our nurse educator, and it was clear that he was upset. When I called his preceptor over to the back table to ask what was wrong, he replied, "This new nurse has dyslexia and he is terribly sensitive about it. He doesn't like to be corrected in front of everyone." I am torn between feeling bad for him and on the other hand insisting that he says the daggum procedure correctly! I understand that he may be upset, but we MUST be correct in the time out, or it is worthless.
It's funny that we did CPR on this thread again, because this EXACT theme came up in my OR today. The circulator usually does the "Time Out" prior to induction. We are training a new nurse, and we were preparing to do a laparoscopy and then a pancreatectomy. As the new nurse was reading from the consent while doing the time out, he said "laparotomy." I shake my head (I was scrubbed in) and he just looks at me-before I could correct him, the surgeon says that we are doing a laparoscopy, not a laparotomy and calmly explains the difference between the two. I see the new nurse a few minutes later in a lengthy phone conversation with our nurse educator, and it was clear that he was upset. When I called his preceptor over to the back table to ask what was wrong, he replied, "This new nurse has dyslexia and he is terribly sensitive about it. He doesn't like to be corrected in front of everyone." I am torn between feeling bad for him and on the other hand insisting that he says the daggum procedure correctly! I understand that he may be upset, but we MUST be correct in the time out, or it is worthless.
That's a tough situation...I could see why he wouldn't want to be publicly corrected, but it's imperative to the documentation, procedure and the patient (!) that the word be clarified during a team pause. If the rest of the team knows he is dyslexic, maybe that will help him feel better about it - because then it's not a criticism, it's simply a clarification.
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Opossum, I totally agree. I am worried that he will be totally flustered about it, but the entire point of doing a team pause is to announce to the team exactly what procedure is to be done. I want to give him some latitude because of his dyslexia, but my FIRST concern is patient safety. I don't think it will be a big fat hairy deal because all of us now know about his dyslexia and will be on alert. Hopefully when he becomes more comfortable in the OR, his anxiety won't be quite so high. My BFF is dyslexic, and she tells me that when she is very anxious, it goes into high gear.
Orientate, irregardless and preventative are all English words created in the English language and used legitimately by English people. That's the original English language that you Americans ruined! 
:lol2:
carolmaccas66, BSN, RN
2,212 Posts
It isn't all spelling/grammar mistakes.
It's just shorthand, like you are shortened to 'ur', or by the way to 'BTW'.
I hurt my shoulder not long ago & love writing but have had 2 use some short cuts as my physio told me 2 cut down on typing, so this is what I've done.
In the old days, it was considered ignorant to use contractions such as 'I've' instead of 'I have'. It's just that English has changed that is all.
And no we aren't all ignorant. It's just the way of the world. I would not however do this at work.
I get so tired of this same theme being repeated on here again & again. I don't understand why people get so nit picky about little abberations. If I don't like something, or can't read it properly, I don't read all of it. I also don't watch TV programmes I don't like. Maybe if this annoys you don't read those reads, or don't continue to read them.