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

2 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?
True, some people are poor spellers but I'm sure some of the mistakes may be typos. Not everyone is good with a computer

Quote from NSGstudent12True, some people are poor spellers but I'm sure some of the mistakes may be typos. Not everyone is good with a computer

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?).

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

Quote from KatieP86I 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?).

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

Grammar freaks belong behind a desk or book.

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

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.

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.

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

diarrohea is one of the words that i struggle to spell on paper