Tag: words matter in medicine

Are you “managing” your worst symptoms?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 8 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas     ♥    Heart Sisters (on Blue Sky) 

I recently quoted an editorial in The Lancet (a medical journal that’s been publishing for over 200 years). The editors were revisiting a subject that’s been niggling at me – and apparently many other patients – namely words matter in health care – especially blame-ridden language, whichThe Lancet describes as “pervasive throughout medicine.”(1)  And just this week, coincidentally, I experienced a bizarre phone conversation with a breast cancer nurse (who reminded me firsthand just how pervasive blame-the-patient attitudes can be). Continue reading “Are you “managing” your worst symptoms?” →

Words matter – especially in medicine

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 11 Comments
by Carolyn Thomas   ❤️   Heart Sisters (on Blue Sky)

An editorial in The Lancet (a medical journal that’s been published for over 200 years) has revisited a subject that’s been niggling at me and many other patients: what the editorial authors called blame-ridden language – which they describe as being “pervasive throughout medicine.”(1)

For example, why do doctors include chart notes like :“Patient claims her pain is 10/10” ?  Choosing the word “claims” somehow implies that the patient is lying. In the real world, we would say:  “She is experiencing 10/10 pain”.  Continue reading “Words matter – especially in medicine” →

Words that hurt: which ones should be deleted from medicine – and why?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 3 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ❤️   Heart Sisters (on Blue Sky)

I love this list. When Johns Hopkins University asked healthcare professionals to weigh in with their own lists of hurtful words that should no longer be used in patient care or medical charting, the responses were brilliant and thoughtful. Dr. Colleen Christmas, who teaches at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has this to say on why words matter so much to the patients hearing them.

“”Our medical language is filled with negativity and dehumanization.”

Here are some of my favourite examples of widely-used words that healthcare professionals themselves wish would go away – along with the thoughtful reasons these words can hurt patients (with thanks to the JHU Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence program):      .
Continue reading “Words that hurt: which ones should be deleted from medicine – and why?” →