Words You Hate

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Is there a medical word that you absolutely hate? Or one that you can never seem to pronounce correctly?

Hate:

  • Meatus. (Eww)
  • Gargle.

Mispronounce:

Prophylaxis. I ALWAYS say prophylaxicks.

I have a co-worker that says Cefazolin wrong and is convinced she is right. Drives me nuts.

Specializes in ER, Neuro, Trauma, Educator.

Not really nursing related but the word "moist" has always grossed me out and I hate it 

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member, skin, geriatric, insert, obviously, cute, affordable, nursing.

Good, Good, Good, Good, BAD, Good, Good, Good.

Also hate Obvs. and Obvie

(but I say both of them when I am in a mood)

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I hate when people put an extra "r" in Phenergan and say Phenergran. O2 stat vs O2 sat. Preventative vs preventive. Orientate vs orient (I've never heard anyone say alert and orientated but someone is always "orientating" someone for the new job). I used to take care of a lady who always said she had to pee all the time because of the Lasik she took in the morning (she though Lasix was plural)

I can't think of any words I hate but I love hematopoiesis, hemochromatosis, Purkinje fibers, crepitus, and sternocleidomastoid.

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Specializes in Occupational Medicine.

I would like to second Brownbook's phrase - those two words simply don't belong together! How about sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, meaning ice cream headache or brain freeze. That is one to scare a poor patient.

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Specializes in Med/Surg; Women's Health.

This is more of a phrase, but at a hospital where I used to work, they used the phrase, 'scrub the hub' as a reminder for cleaning IV caps before flushing. I worked in women's health for 6 years prior to going back to general med/surg...I refused to say to my male patients, 'let me scrub your hub". No, just no!! LOL

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Specializes in Hospice.
Two of my favorites are patients who vomic and fall out.

I worked in a Pediatric ER many moons ago.

Back then parents would say their kids were "vomickin' and runnin' off at the vowels".

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Orientate, for sure.

Also, completely incorrect, but I see it entirely more than I should when scanning ER charts-- "***** drainage" instead of "purulent drainage." Like, please no.

Also. Stomach flu.

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..

Actor. That word used to be used only for males, now it's being used for both male and female. I think it's an insult to the female gender. In earlier times, (not so long ago, the female word was actress.) What's wrong with that?

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Specializes in Broad range, mental health, school nursi.

Okay, I'm new to posting here. But from a school nurse's perspective, how about "asthma pump?" Or' "I have to use it."

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I cannot say the word vigilant without thinking about how to pronounce it first. Still comes out villi gent half the time.

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Okay, I'm new to posting here. But from a school nurse's perspective, how about "asthma pump?" Or' "I have to use it."

Welcome! Speaking of kid stuff, my daughter picked up " mommy I made poo-poo!" from that commercial, and now says it whenever she goes. Ergh

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

"Scrub the hub" makes me feel dirty.

The exact opposite of its intention. 

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