In article >,
Goomba > wrote:

> John Kuthe wrote:
>
> > HTN: The Silent Killer!Primarily asymptomatic, increased risks stroke,
> > renal problems.
> >
> > I own a sphygmomanometer (and can spell it too, first time, no spell
> > check!) and stethoscopes!
> >
> > John Kuthe...
>
> and a student nurse with a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Or
> just annoying. It varies.

One of my minor peeves is nurses who try to impress patients by using
fancy words. The real beginners don't do this, because it's fresh in
their minds that they didn't know these words not long ago. The
experienced nurses don't do this, because patients either ignore what
they say, or ask them to explain it anyway, so they might as well
explain it in a way that can be understood the first time. The precise
and brief medical terms are a powerful tool for communicating, but only
when both parties have the background to understand.

In the above, HTN is not part of my normal vocabulary. The word "renal"
is simply an adjective for "kidney". Perhaps it is more precise, but if
so, that's lost on me. Certainly, "renal problems" is no shorter than
"kidney problems". When the nurse checks my blood pressure using a
machine, they don't have to use the word "sphygmomanometer".

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA