There's a great thread going on in the GenNurs Dicussion about how to refer to those we care for (patient-client-customer, etc.) This reminded me of another language issue that gets under my skin, but I've never heard anyone else raise it.
I don't like the way we refer to "a 39 year old female that presents with blah, blah, blah" or a "56 year old, obese white male with history of...etc., etc.,"
Can we not say... "Miss Smith is a 39 year old lady who has left sided weakness..." or "The gentleman in room 6 is came to us with a drug reaction..."?
Now granted our patient may be a coke addicted, working girl with PID, but we can at least say "The woman on the gurney in the hall..." And when we have a patient who is an alcoholic who lives under a bridge, can't we call him a "man in isolation room 2 with suspected tuberculosis"?
I used to raise dogs. To me a female is a *****. Referring to someone as male and female reduces their essence down to their brand of genitalia... sort of diminishes their humanity somehow.
It just bugs me. Am I being weird about this? Anyone agree or disagree?
ZASHAGALKA, RN
3,322 Posts
I did read it, but the thought occurred to me long before.
It's a good book, although I don't concur with all her conclusions.
~faith,
Timothy.