What do you think of nurses who can't spell medical terms?

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Honestly, no personal attacks, but im curious..

I see posters on this forum who can't spell "cough" or "aspirin" or "Morphine" correctly.. and it really concerns me. I'm not really a grammar nazi, but when someone who claims to be an RN for a number of years and can't spell basic medicine or procedures, it makes me wonder how much harder it makes the job for their co-workers.

Thoughts?

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Specializes in Med/Tele.

True, some people are poor spellers but I'm sure some of the mistakes may be typos. Not everyone is good with a computer :)

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True, some people are poor spellers but I'm sure some of the mistakes may be typos. Not everyone is good with a computer :)

I've thought about that, one or two, I give no thought to, but every single occurrence catches my notice :p

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I have mild dyslexia and find some words really hard to spell. Like diarrhoea and catheter. (thank goodness for spell check in my browser!). At work, I keep a list of words I struggle with in my pocket, tucked into my ID card, in case I need to spell them whilst updating stuff. I'm an NA, though. AND we don't have computer charting. Do the computer charting systems in the US have spell check (just curious?).

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Spelling the words incorrectly isn't as bad as pronouncing the words incorrectly, but it does appear somewhat unprofessional.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I have mild dyslexia and find some words really hard to spell. Like diarrhoea and catheter. (thank goodness for spell check in my browser!). At work, I keep a list of words I struggle with in my pocket, tucked into my ID card, in case I need to spell them whilst updating stuff. I'm an NA, though. AND we don't have computer charting. Do the computer charting systems in the US have spell check (just curious?).

Ours doesn't but I would say 90% of the charting is ticking boxes, there seems to be an option for just about every single thing so the amount of free text is extremely small. That's how it was at the 2 health systems I was at. One of them is also now going to no paper charts at all and docs have to enter their orders on the computer. That will be so nice since I can't even read what the heck the doctor writes anyway.

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm a terrible speller !!!! Some people still think I'm a great nurse in spite of it....

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Grammar freaks belong behind a desk or book.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

They are just like meeeeeee! ....could even be long-lost cousins?

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Specializes in ER.

Just depends I guess. I worked with an ER doc that spelled Rocephin as Rocefin. I'd correct him, correct the chart and next one I'd pick up would be same Rocefin. One of the sharpest docs I've ever worked with and a miracle worker with sutures. He could do a running subcuticular stitch and you'd be hard pressed to find the wound edges when he was done. Couldn't spell worth crap but one of the finest ER docs I have ever worked with.

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Specializes in LTC.

As long as other people can make it out and I know what the heck I am talking about, what's the problem? Some people struggle with spelling.

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

D: I can't even spell pediatrics sometimes! I don't think it makes me a bad nurse...... just a bad speller.

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