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.
Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.
I can let most things go except when people use the term orientate rather than oriented. Drives me nutso!!!! hehehe
One of my co-workers does this and it drives me crazy! I may not have been an English major, but I make it a point to try to use proper grammar around patients and colleagues alike.
Another pet peeve is that many of my co-workers e-mail as if they are text messaging a friend (incomplete sentences, u for you, im instead of I'm, etc.). When we are writing to each other it is one thing, but when these e-mails are also sent to managers and physicians it reflects poorly on us as a unit.
One of my professors said that the general quality of writing at the undergraduate level is poor due to the increased use of e-mail and text messaging.
I am driven mad when I see people misspell certain words. And I see it every day here on the Board.
As for attorneys, let me tell you - lately, I have seen attorneys and even teachers do a whole boatload of misspelling. Lately = when my kids were in school and I was interacting with teachers, so it's a few years ago. I volunteered to edit their school newsletter so I could correct their errors. It really drove me mad.
Definite is correct, not "defanite" or "definate". Definite.
Of course, Bush says "newkuler", instead "new clee er".
My biggest pet peeve is people who misuse your and you're. I guess people don't know the apostrophe is you're is for the letter "a". I can't stand to see a person write "Your a pretty girl." or "This is you're meal." I also can't stand it when people misuse there and their. I once a charge nurse put up signs all over the unit stating, "Nurses must perform all there own dressing changes." So I took an green marker and crossed out all her signs and replaced there with their.
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. Maisy;)
Speaking of correcting, your usage of the word 'along' is incorrect in this instance. I think you meant to say "It's been a long time", am I right?
I would expect to orient someone to the unit. After a few weeks of orientation, they would have been oriented.
Orient or Orientate?
The word orient as a noun means "east." It may be capitalized when referring to the geographical location of the Far East.
Example: Hong Kong is located in the Orient.
Orient as a verb means to "find direction" or "give direction." The noun form of this kind of orienting is orientation. Sometimes people in their speech will form an imagined verb from orientation and say orientate. There is no such word as orientate. The correct word is the verb orient.
Incorrect: Melanie is helping me get orientated to the new job.
Correct: Melanie is helping me get oriented to the new job.
Also Maisy, wouldn't you mean to say "you've got me", rather than "you got me"? I do believe the latter is incorrect usage. Perhaps a grammarian could kindly chime in here...
'Speaking of correcting your usage of the word 'along' is incorrect in this instance. I think you meant to say "It's been a long time", am I right?'
jlsRN, you are so right! I am cracking up right now...although I have to admit I think it was a lazy finger on the keyboard (didn't hit spacebar). That's what I get for not checking.
prinsessa, Can you tell I am over 30? My kids tell me I am the slowest IM user in the world! I can see why, four letters to my sentence.
Oh well, at least I can text message.
I love this forum! Sometimes, I laugh so hard when I read the posts. Obviously, I have too much time on my hands.
Used to work with a pedi nurse who stated in report that the child's DX was "otis meatus". We knew she meant otitis but it never failed to make me cringe.
Writing a sentence the way it might be spoken is usually a mistake, however, the "You Got Me!" was written as it was meant. In this case, to represent the outburst in writing that may have occurred if the other person was right in front of me. While it is not 'correct grammar" if written in a paper, I was always told by those whose job it was to know (Professors of English), that when an author of a work writes something it is to his/her discretion how it is written. Although this argument doesn't work in school papers-I would advise reading any novel. The written word is what the author says it is.
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I couldn't help it. 
ICRN2008, BSN, RN
897 Posts
One of my co-workers does this and it drives me crazy! I may not have been an English major, but I make it a point to try to use proper grammar around patients and colleagues alike.
Another pet peeve is that many of my co-workers e-mail as if they are text messaging a friend (incomplete sentences, u for you, im instead of I'm, etc.). When we are writing to each other it is one thing, but when these e-mails are also sent to managers and physicians it reflects poorly on us as a unit.
One of my professors said that the general quality of writing at the undergraduate level is poor due to the increased use of e-mail and text messaging.